The Champion's Daughter
by JustAnotherMisfit13
Summary: Erika Kingsleigh is just your regular teen; well, save for the fact that she can't remember her own past, and has nothing to put her name to except the recurring dreams of smiling cats, talking door-mice and an insane hatter. She thought she had no hope of finding an answer to it all – that is, until she falls down a certain rabbit hole..
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Yo – welcome to my first Alice in Wonderland fanfic, and also my first chapter story that I completed myself and haven't just given up on because I'm a lazy ass :P Before we start, I just want to point out that the premise of this story has been done before, and you're just going to have to believe me when I say that I've actually been working on this story since February and I was only aware of this fact about an hour ago – anyway, some things to know:**

**To section off scenes and show that time has passed, you'll see the "x.x.x" I used to use those black lines that Word puts in automatically but they'd never show up, so this I know works.  
Unfortunately, the first chapter is my least favourite – so just stick it out with me for the first few ones, it gets better, promise!  
There's some subtle HatterXAlice (though defiantly not a lot), of course. And if you don't ship them, then…I don't know what your life's about. **

**Also, I'm going to apologize for my grammar ahead of time, because no matter how many times I check, there's going to be mistakes :P **

People always like to use quotes to represent or understand their lives, and I suppose that's because words have such a hold over us sometimes. I once saw one that said "those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it" and if that was true, and if I was religious, I'd pray every night that it would happen to me.  
Despite how I think, everyone seems to go on and on about "moving on from your past" or whatever; "sometimes you just need to put the past away and move on with life" or "forget the burdens of your past" you know, that kind of crud. And while yes, good life lessons learned; I of all people should agree that you shouldn't be dragged down by the thought of your past.

But it's kind of hard to let go of your past when you can't even remember it.

_I've spent about five minutes searching for her. I was never a good seeker, but I have a good idea on where she is. I'm little again, about seven, and I'm running through the halls; their gaping and coloured an incredible blue. When I reach my destination, I knock on the door before entering. A man is there, surrounded by hats and other fabrics. He's __an odd looking man with frizzy orange hair and top hat. He greets me, but I get right down to business._

_I lift the hat centered on his working table, the one he's finishing, and there she is; a little mouse in an outfit with a sword. She stands up and huffs – always a sore loser she was. _

"_I found you!"_

"_And it took ya long enough!"_

_We're about to start another round, except above our heads, a smoke starts to appear. It phases into something; a cat with a grin that spreads over his entire mouth. In his smooth voice, he tells me I'm expected. And not a second later, a force throws the doors back, and a creature is standing there. A white rabbit in a waistcoat, and he's panting from running so fast, hunched over his ridiculously large pocket watch. He, breathlessly, tells me the exact thing the cat told me; someone's expecting me. The cat, in a smug way, informs the rabbit that he already delivered the news. The rabbit starts to glare. _

"_It's my job to deliver news, not yours!" _

"_Yes, but if you were on time, I wouldn't have to do it." And with that, the cat flicks his tail and is gone. _

_I giggle at their exchange, and promise to see them later. I dash out the door, knowing precisely where to go. I have to go up and down stairs, through winding halls – but I don't mind, I like that my home is big enough to hold adventures or games like hide n' seek. In five second glances as I pass by rooms, and in them I see all sorts of people _and _creatures. In one there's two little bald boys playing a game, or in the library I see a different rabbit (a brown one, who has a touch of "crazy eyes") and he's tossing books to the floor. An old Bloodhound dog trots past me and woofs his hello, and I turn backwards to wave back. When I turn the right way forward, I nearly run into a much older woman with snow white hair and a smiling face. She, nicely, tells me to be careful, and I blush from embarrassment, saying I would. _

_When I get to where I'm supposed to be, I see her standing at the end of the hall; a young woman with curly blond hair in a blue dress. I reach her and she smiles, taking my small hand. I tell her about my day, and she opens her mouth to reply – _

"You're late again!"

I spring up from my bed, confused and slightly panicked – until I realize I'm just in my room. Well, that was a new one. Other times when I'm with them, sometimes we're sitting around a table and having a meal, maybe tea another time. Or perhaps I'll be playing another game with someone, like checkers; on a rare occurrence I'll be with the blond woman, and she's reading a book to me or teaching me something. They have a variety of time and place, and I'm always really young, but it's _always_ with those same people. Don't people have different dreams?

"I didn't get a very good sleep." I muttered through my hands, placing them over my face and rubbing my eyes. God, I hate mornings. Victoria is standing in the doorway, angry again that she has to get me up herself.

"That's what you always say!" She grumbles, slamming the door on her way out.

That's 'cause I have a dream every night.

I fumble out of my bed, searching through my drawers for an acceptable outfit. One of the most frustrating thing is that I can never decipher them; is it a dream, or is it a memory? The one I had right now certainly could've have happened – but it's never about where, it's about the faces I see in them; they are extremely real. I wanna say I know them, I feel like I know them, but I have no idea who they are. And to put it bluntly, it gets to me.

Hi – I'm Erika Kingsleigh, and I'm haunted by my past that I don't remember.

I finally tug on some old black skinny jeans and faded plaid shirt. I messily run a brush though my even messier wavy blond hair – great look I've got going on. I guess the blue eyes are all I have going for me.

I grabbed my guitar, and then went to my bedside table to find my locket. I ran my thumb over it, sighing, then placing it around my neckline.

"_Erika!_"

"_Victoria!_" I screamed back in the same tone. That woman has even less patience then me. I put my guitar on my back, and then my bag on my shoulder (making sure my sketchbook was tucked in), rushing out and climbing downstairs. She was standing over the kitchen island, her husband Greg over the stove sizzling some eggs. The kids, my siblings, were by the lower stairs, getting their coats on.

"Good Erika, now you won't even have time for breakfast." Victoria snaps, shuffling through the mail. I squeezed in between the two adults to get to the cupboard.

"And yet the world still keeps going 'round." I replied, pulling out my favourite, a cranberry muffin. I had this weird love for them. My best friend, Katelynn, always referrers me to an old lady when I discussed my love for cranberry muffins.

"Do you want some of my eggs?" Greg asks innocently, lifting the pan and peering through his glasses. I smiled – I mean, I don't call these people "mom" or "dad" despite being with them since I was eight, but I did appreciate them.

"S'ok. I have to go wait for Katelynn anyway." I smiled at him, waving good bye to the kids, and as Victoria yells at me to put on a better coat, I was out the door.

x.x.x

I strolled down the desolate walkway to Katelynn's house, hugging my arms around myself to keep from the brisk cold. The sky was a bitter grey, and I tried to distract myself from the cold that was chilling me from my feet up. I ended up pulling out my locket that was hidden underneath all my layers.

Out of all the things I have, this seems to be the most…certain. When your eight, in an orphanage, and the only thing you really have is your name (Erika Margaret Kingsleigh, which thankfully you learned how to spell) and this locket, it becomes rather important. It's a silver square shape with blue gems embedded onto it. I open it, and like it always does, it holds a picture of a young woman; the same one that seems to live in my dreams. Slipping it out, I can see the back of it – the oddest part of the whole thing. It has 'Alice Kingsleigh' written on it, but it's been scribbled out. Then, 'mother' was written below it in, might I say, kinda terrible cursive. Coincidence, perhaps; the fact that her last name is spelled the exact same as mine. Katelynn's taken a look at it, and she's told me I look frighteningly similar to her. The photo is old, frayed and fading, and you can tell it was taken a long time ago from the cloths she wore in the photo; it just had a very "olden-timey" look to it.

But fear strikes up when the wind begins to blow – and wisps the photo right out of my hand. I start yelling out as the photo dances in the air currents, flowing over to a house and out of my reach. I run onto the lawn, not paying any attention to the flowers I could possibly trample. I jump for it, but with no relief; I'm panicking – seriously, out of all the things to lose, this would be the last one I'd want gone. But a hand strikes out and snatches the photo in between two gloved fingers.

"Stupid Mother Nature huh?" Katelynn grins, placing the picture in my hand. I sigh in relief, the need to throw up dying down.

"You're telling me." I muttered, sliding it back in the case. She folds her arms, rolling her brown eyes, and we start walking from the front of her house back to the sidewalk. The school was only a few blocks down from here.

"You're late again." She clucks her tongue. "I got out the door before you could knock on it."

"You sound like Victoria." I told her bitterly.

"What was last night's dream about?"

I give her the details as vividly as I could. Katelynn has known about this stuff for years, since we met almost. She knows all about how I basically have no past; I can't remember a damn thing since I was eight and woke up on the orphanage steps. But also since then, these different characters in my ever-so-vivid dreams have plagued me. I've tried to explain how it's like I know them, like I remember them – but at the same time, I don't. I don't know their names, or who they are, why they feel familiar to me. They just do. I can't help but think they're tied to the past I don't remember. It's like having really shitty amnesia. And I wanna believe they're memories, 'cause it feels all too real, but who knows? I mean, it's not in your everyday life that you see rodents in little outfits, and cats who grin.

Katelynn doesn't really question me. I think she finds it cool on some level. I mean, she's a fantasy freak herself – probably why we're best friends, because no one else would befriend some chick who talked about seeing these things daily. She thinks it could be some other kind of "past life" stuff, or other.

"Hmmm," she pretends to stroke her imaginary beard when I finish giving my latest report, and I smile. Katelynn is always like a breath of fresh air. "Yesterday I dreamt I made my own mac n' cheese and my cat ate it." I chuckle in my chest.

"That's ridiculous. You'd never make food by yourself."

"Hey, I'll have you know I made a damn good grilled cheese the other day." She whipped her auburn hair behind her shoulder dramatically.

"Yeah? And who ate it when you burnt it?"

"Uh, my dad."

We laughed together, and soon she brought out her IPod, and we argue on which album to listen to as the school appeared out of the distance.

x.x.x

"So Smith gave us another five-foot tall package for homework on our week off. I think this time, instead of working tirelessly on it, I'm going to eat it and throw it up all over his desk."

"Excuse me, I'm trying to eat here."

Katelynn bit into her pizza, but now my sandwich seemed unappealing after her imagery. I set it down and started pulling out my sketch book. We're in the upstairs of the school, sitting on the hall carpet in a corner. This is where we usually meet for lunch.

I was digging through my pencil case for the right one, so Katelynn stole it from my lap. She's seen it before it, but I still tried to retaliate and get it back. She rolled out of my reach, nonchalantly flipping through the pages. She stopped a few pages in; it was a fully coloured drawing of the rabbit. He had white fur, dressed in a light brown buttoned waistcoat with a tie, and had a very large gold pocket watch slipped in the pocket. He had red eyes and I made it look like he was stomping his foot, as if waiting anxiously for something. Katelynn drew her finger over him.

"Why does he have a pocket watch? What could he possibly need that for?"

"Why not? He's got important things to do, so he's got to be on time for them."

"Seems like rabbits wouldn't even be able to read time."

I snatched the book from her as she was unguarded, glaring lightly "Well he's very educated!"

Katelynn threw her hands up in surrender, rolling her eyes a bit. She moved to be beside me instead of across, and peered over my shoulder as I looked for the one I hadn't finished.

We came across the one of the tiny mouse, the hider of my dream. Her fur was a dull brown, eyes entirely black – picture something along the lines of a field mouse. Except she had a pink/purple mix colour of a dress, a small sword in her hand, holding it up triumphantly.

"Cute mouse. But what would a mouse need to defend herself from with a tiny toothpick of a sword anyway?"

"She's five inches tall Katelynn, what would you suggest?"

The next page was of the top-hatted man. He had brown tweed pants and waistcoat, but had a blur of many coloured cloths underneath. His skin was a snow white, and he had mysterious, glinting green eyes. His brown top hat, decorated in the middle with a large pale pink fabric, squished down the unruly orange hair. I knew Katelynn likes him the best – she hadn't seen this one since I had finished it.

"Dude's got quite the top hat. Can you draw me with one too?"

"You wish."

She wanted to look at more, but I shoved her away so I could work. She went back to her lunch, breaking her cookie in two to give me a side. I found my page of the grinning cat – well, not quite because he had no face yet. I quickly remedied that. I put in those looming turquoise eyes and triangle cat nose. I finally sketched in some teeth, Katelynn finally peeking over me to see.

"I don't think cats have that many teeth. At least make his smile less wide, he freaks me out."

"That's the point."

She smiled and punched my arm softly "Ha ha, clever. You know, you're really good at that."

"Being sarcastic?" I peered up and she laughed quietly.

"No doofus. The drawings. You're really talented, and that's not even mentioning the guitar too."

I smiled tightly to give thanks, but her words didn't mean much. The drawings were adequate; I hadn't even practiced my guitar much either. Despite my weird situation, I had nothing to offer really. She quirked her head, giving me a look.

"You don't believe me."

"Eat your cookie Katelynn."

x.x.x

The walk home was no better then this morning – cold. I dropped Katelynn off at her home, half-heartedly waving. I kind of hate saying goodbye to her; Katelynn is a nice, amusing, refresher in my life. She keeps me from being mopey 'cause I dig too deeply into my problems.

I quickly get into my house to escape the weather. Greg is there, and so are the kids, rampaging around. He's a web designer, so he just works from home, but Victoria is a journalist so she's not expected until way later. Elizabeth tried to run and grab my guitar and I yell at her to let go, then when she leaves Thomas tried next. Greg calls them back.

He and Victoria, for the longest time, thought they couldn't have kids because of so many failed tries, so they simply adopted me. Until when I was 11 it was magically found out through….escapades that they actually could. I didn't mind; I just co-habitat with them. I knew these people weren't really my family anyway – and not just because I was adopted.

Greg asks how my day was and I replied with "same routine." He tries to say I could have Katelynn over but I was already halfway upstairs to be on my own.

Dinner isn't too far off, and soon we have to gather around. The kids like to talk the most, and the adult figures try to respond best they can, no matter how tired Victoria looks. Eventually she puts down her utensils and calls for attention.

"Given that it's a long weekend, with a few days off, your father and I have decided to plan a trip." They immediately get excited, and even I raise my own eyebrows. Perhaps something interesting in our wake.

"We've decided to take a trip to England, to go and visit your father's family friends."

"They've offered us a stay; it's been far too long anyway." Greg follows up, grinning for effect. Elizabeth and Thomas, of course, go on to ask a million questions about them despite being there before, and I roll my eyes.

Regardless, England is always interesting. Greg went to college in England, and there he made friends with this guy who's family is quite, well, upper crust. Even in this day n' age, the family still holds a mansion that decades of their family has lived in. We've visited here and there. Fun fact: I was actually adopted in England. After college, Greg remained there and Victoria was there on a trip (both from the same place), they met, fell in love, etc etc. After the presumption of no children, they took in me and headed back here.

"The Ascots?" I asked, and Greg nodded, smiling. We continue quietly (save for the forks and knives scraping the plates) until Victoria looks up and points the end of her knife at me.

"Erika, I want you to wear something nice. You have a dress?"

I groaned inwardly "Yes, probably old and full of mothballs."

She ignored my comment, swallowing her bite full of salad "Good, and I'll lend you a pair of my heels."

"Heels? No thank you."

"Erika you're seventeen, you have to wear them. They're inviting us, so you have to look nice."

I put my utensils down, and licked my bottom lip, and I think people could tell I was about to spout off on something.

"Why is it socially acceptable for me to wear shoes that disproportionally leveled and uncomfortable? Why can't I just wear flats?"

"Because they're nicer!"

"That's a stupid reason! If it was the thing to eat squirrel would you bring squirrel appetizers to their house for dinner?"

"She's got a point." Greg managed to get out through a mouthful of lasagna. Victoria just covered the sides of her face with her hands, and sighed.

"Erika this is not the time to go on about the inner-workings of society, just wear the stupid shoes!"

"Fine." I grumbled, stabbing my own salad and mumbled something like it "being about the principle of the matter."

x.x.x

Not a minute after dinner, I had to drag an old suitcase up to my room. Victoria demanded that we pack now; she even pointed to me, saying "because I don't want to be packing for you in the five minutes we have to leave." That woman has no faith in me.

I toss cloths into the case, not such a stickler for sorting and folding. I don't know England, but I figured long sleeved stuff and pants were a good thing, because everybody talks about how much it rains there.

Then my mother figure barges down my door again. She's holding a black pair of high heels, and even before she can get to me, I slam the lid down of the suitcase.

"There's no more room." I quickly tell her.

She looks up at me from over her brow, so I know she's not buying it, and rips open the lid.

"Well no wonder Erika, you just crammed stuff."

"Folding is against my religious beliefs."

I swear I could've heard her growl and she starts to sort. I don't mean to be hard on her, but she makes it difficult to get along.

"Victoria the shoes are probably better in your bag anyway." She sighs, and tosses them out to the hall in silent agreement.

After we (in her stern request) packed my cloths "properly", she cleared my closet for any dresses. She finally pulled one out; an old plain grey one. Even when I was fifteen, which is probably when I wore that dress, I didn't like much colour.

"God Erika how old is this?"

"Millennias. I don't even know if it'll fit me."

She shrugged helplessly "It'll have to do. If it comes down to it, you'll just have to wear the nicest thing you brought." She then folded it into my bag.

"If you wore dresses more, we wouldn't have this problem."

"Yes, and if we lived in Denmark I could get paid to go to school, but wishes don't come true Victoria. I'm not a dress person."

She exhaled for the umpteenth time, and weirdly, I felt a twinge of guilt. Like I said, I don't _mean_ to make it difficult.

"I'm sorry."

Instead, I get a rare sighting; Victoria smiling a bit. She took a wide step over my suitcase to me.

"Guess I should've checked for a smart mouth instead when I was adopting huh?" I would've said something like "then I never would've got out of there" but I just sided with her. She observed me, leaning back a bit and giving me a look over.

"I don't understand, you'd look lovely in a dress."

"I don't look lovely in anything."

"Erika," she scolded, lightly hitting me on the arm "You _would_; maybe if you'd smile some more, huh?"

To make her happy, I smiled a bit awkwardly, looking to the ground. She observed me for a while, and I tried not to feel uncomfortable from it; I've known Victoria for the longest of times, but regardless there has always been this awkward, silent air around us.

"You're odd Erika, but not a hopeless case. You'll be good at something, and maybe even one day, find a cute boy, hmm?"

This time, I couldn't side. How could I know I'd be good at anything? I don't have a past to have made anything of myself; I don't have enough to know _me_. We don't think it, but you'd be surprised how many insignificant, small memories you may have, that you don't think are important, make up who you are and how you perceive yourself. I have the time between being adopted at eight to now, but it's never been enough. And while having these maybe-memories of things that I draw in my sketchbook, that I don't even know are real or not or that are even connected to me, makes me a very empty-shell of a person.

Well – at least I know I don't like dresses.

To put it shortly, I'm not the happiest person around because of all that. Only through Katelynn am I ever really content.

Victoria was staring at me, awaiting a response. I, subtly, shook my hand to clear it. Quit inner-monologuing.

"If I find a guy to blackmail, I'll let you know."

She chuckles ever-so-briefly "Well, goodnight dear. We're out at seven sharp, so get your rest." I watched as her jet-black haired head disappeared through the door.

And so, I follow the regular night-time procedure; pajamas, teeth brushing, all that nonsense. I call Katelynn for a short period to let her in on what's happening, and she groans for about five minutes because I get to go to England and she doesn't. I'll miss her though; I'll have to suffer through family and meet n' greets of Greg's friends for the next few days without a break of her. I'll have no one to be a sarcastic pain with. Or at least someone to talk to when I fall too deep into myself and past, or lack-there-of. She says to call – just not when it's my nice twelve in the afternoon in England, and therefor it's her painful awakening at four in the morning here.

I sit on my bed, carefully removing my locket; it's the last thing I do each night. I grip onto the case in the palm of my hand for a while, wondering what Alice Kingsleigh is doing, or maybe would be doing, at this moment. Biting into my lip uneasily, I place it on my bedside table and flick off my table lamp. I shrug into my covers, hoping for an easy sleep; but I knew, the dreams will eventually come knocking like every night before.

**Yes? No? I swear, more things are explained later, and it's not so bad later on. If you have questions, feel free to ask em' – just know I can't divulge too much because that'll be a danger to revealing the plot. So, review? Or not, I don't run your life :P **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here's the next one! There's this one, and then after you'll get to see the characters of Wonderland that you actually came to see :P Also I should've mentioned that there will be more OC's then just Erika – but there's only about four mane ones including her. **

**And I should say that I tried to put a picture for this story. But when I went to click the link that allows you to do that it says I need to put images in my "Image Manager" and I don't know what that means nor can I find it on my laptop so, if anyone wants to give me a step-by-step to fix this problem, that would be nice. **

**Oh, and I forgot to give the picture of Erika's locket; so if you want to see, here it is (and it's not mine, FYI – it's only from a Google search): : / / r / / 8  
(just remember to take the spaces out, 'cause without it, the site will delete half the URL) **

**And to my reviewer – as you appreciate my sarcasm, I also appreciate your excitement and compliments :3 Thank you! **

I was right – guess what was happening when we got off the plane? You'll know, because I'll tell you that when we got out of the airport and into the taxi, my hair was already drenched. But thank god we got off because Elizabeth and Tom were making a ruckus; even though I had been in a seat on my own, the noise carried. Then, because the seat next to me was empty, Victoria got Elizabeth to sit with me now that Tom was sleeping and there was "no other way to occupy her." We played Go Fish; she was some kind of odd company. I did love the little guys, though I self-medicated myself to only have about 20 minutes of them a day.

The hotel was as fancy as we could get it, and we didn't even waste time getting to the Ascot's this morning. But luck was with me, because the dress we packed did not fit. Also, when Victoria wasn't looking, I grabbed the high heels and hid them in the hotel closet as a last minute attempt. So, for the dress problem, I took out my fanciest shirt with jeans; a black button up short sleeve shirt with ripped (not like actually ripped; the type of jeans that you buy that are ripped because it's a fashion trend), though nice, grey jeans. And for the shoes, well, first Victoria yelled at Greg because they packed together and she thought he lost them, until begrudgingly telling me to wear my flats. Though all of that still didn't stop me pressing any further on subjects.

"_Is this meet-up really necessary? I don't so well on these things – and you know, I think I'm coming down with a cough from the rain –"_

"_You'll smile and be appreciative Erika." _

Really, with the good fortune of the dress and shoes, I don't think that conversation would've gone my way anyway.

And also, they sent a goddam limo. So, we all pilled in and started out to the countryside.

Now, the car took us up the dirt path, and I could see the peak of the house. And did I mention before how huge their house – no, mansion – is? The roof has a kind of pale teal, and the whole building is a beige colour. It's got about ten floors (give or take) and is so fancy you can't even believe it. Think really old, 1700's Victorian house; excessively British. Something you wouldn't expect people to really live in now-a-days, but to be more of a museum type thing. Their family had built a business, though don't ask me what it is because even now I still don't know, making them very well known in Britain and allowing them to afford to live in places like this. I almost think we should be rolling up in a horse drawn carriage instead.

We get past the gates and the car parks up by the many others in the front, thirty paces up to the steps of the house. Greg's friend is there with his wife, waving to us graciously. The kids burst out and start rushing to them, pulling at their sleeves and asking about toys and gifts. Victoria yells at them, almost grabbing them by the hair, but the husband just laughs and promises them something nice.

"Maurice!" Greg greets his friend by grabbing his hand in a shake. They laugh and pat each other on the back. Victoria also gets a turn, and the exchange is always amusing because she's isn't as jovial as her husband or his friend.

"And the lovely Erika, how you've aged!" Maurice exclaims, his accent seeping out, and I smile politely like Victoria drilled into me. I do like the guy – I've seen him growing up a bit, and he was always nice to me as a kid. But their like distant family, it's not like seeing your aunt or uncle at every family party.

"And you too I can see." I replied, ever so slightly nodding to the gray hairs on his head. Victoria's eyes bulge out and she slaps me harmlessly on the arm, but he's still laughing.

"Quick as a whip she is." He chuckles. We enter into the grand hall, and I'm still awed by all the fancy marble and space of this place. They take our things, such as my guitar which I managed to trick my parents into bringing so I could "work on songs for guitar class". Also tucked inside was my sketchbook. Everyone started up the stairs, aiming to get to the back of the house, and they quickly delved into chit-chat, catching up.

"Where's Rory?" Victoria broke in.

"Ah, yes! See, I was browsing through some old artifacts and papers we've kept since the building of this place, mountains of boxes, and Rory came to help me. I've been meaning to organize it, but then we had this get-together, so Rory offered to do it for me. He's there now."

Rory, their son, was my age and thankfully someone I've gotten along with pretty well. I almost speak about going to see him until we reach the grand doorway into the backyard. People are spread out, poking out of the bright green grass, standing around or sitting at little tables.

"Well, why don't we join in the fun?" Maurice claps his hands once, smiling even brighter then the exuberant colour of the grass. I look out to all the people, and my need to be un-social strikes up.

"Um –"

Victoria cuts me off by yelling at Tom and Elizabeth who are climbing all over the armour that is placed in the mansion, or pointing at the pictures, to come over. Maurice pulls Greg aside for a hasty side convo, and the kids spring into the outside without a care. That only leaves Maurice's wife Patricia, me and Victoria, and I know she'd keeping an eye on me, so I reluctantly follow them out.

x.x.x

We pass by many "friends of friends" type of people (people I just don't remember but try to). The garden follows up to the standards of the house. It goes out to a huge plane of grass (where we are now), and beyond that is a maze of rose and flower gardens, equipped with water fountains, gazebos, the whole show.

I follow them to the drinks table, where more females greet us, and they involve in chatter. Patricia groans about no matter how hard she tries, she can't get red roses to grow in the gardens – "They wilt the second their planted!" – and I'm surprised because this isn't Victoria's view of intellectual conversation. But as I uncomfortably stand among them, I feel out of place in dressier jeans and top while everyone else is in either skirts or dresses, or a tie and button up.

"So Erika," I spin around on my heels to them, as if I was paying attention "what have you been up to these days?"

"Oh, you know," I pressed my cup to my lips while I thought of what "you know" might consist of "just 'teenager-y' things…"

They raised their eyebrows and made "hmmm" noises like it was a good answer, and Victoria breaks in to try and patch things.

"She's in her last year of school now, seventeen, almost done. But she does the same things every day," Victoria turns to a joking tone and rolls her eyes "just by herself, always in that sketchbook of hers."

I bit into my lip – _don't make a quip. _The women chuckled like they knew me and smile at Victoria.

"I know a teen can be quite a struggle." One of them says, sipping on pink lemonade "My daughter can be a handful – she's fifteen. She's just, apparently, fallen head over heels for this new boy." Another rolls her eyes too.

"Do I know what that's like!"

"Do you have a boyfriend Erika?" The first woman followed up.

I just knew my cheeks were heating up "Uh, no."

"Why's that?"

_Well if I _knew, _wouldn't I have fixed the problem by now?!_

"Umm, I think my charm and goddess like looks keep them at bay." I muttered, unable to keep it in. They laughed a bit awkwardly – were they expecting a good reason? "I just never came upon the opportunity."

"Well," she then put a hand on my shoulder harmlessly, even though I might've flinched "you better get into the game before all your 'opportunities' are gone!"

The older women cackled at the joke. I smiled tightly and Victoria seemed to pick up on this – or she just wants to get rid of me and the social imparity I bring.

"Erika, I think Rory wants to see you. Maybe you can help him out with all the sorting?"

I didn't know whether to feel insulted or thankful for this break. I nodded quickly and set my cup down, dashing away with quiet glee. From behind I could hear Patricia say "I wonder how your little girl will turn out being around her."

x.x.x

I tried not to let my poor social skills and people, well, perhaps not liking me in general, get me down. I've never fit in well with the society that encircles me, that encounter proving it. Probably why I was so glad when I found Katelynn; it's helpful when weirdoes find other weirdoes.

Without a map or some kind of instructions, it took me ages to seek Rory out. The gaping halls were intimidating, and all along them were painted portraits of whoever inherited the Ascot home at the time. I found one of a very frumpy man with orange hair who was glaring distastefully, and the name below read "Hamish Ascot." He stared down at me like I was a lower life form and I snorted at him.

_I don't think I'm the one who should be looked down upon my friend._

At last, Rory was in a massive office at about the fifth floor. Billons of boxes and stacks of paper swarmed him, and he was over a pile right against the wall by the door, and a rare smile came around when he saw me.

"Erika! I heard you were comin' around." He greeted and I, genuinely, smiled at him.

"And I heard you were here. What is all of this crap?"

His happy disposition was lost at that, and he groaned, shuffling papers angrily.

"Warrants, wills, all sorts of nonsense. I've been here for two bloody hours and barely made a dent."

"Why did you even sign up for this?" Then a smirk appeared on his mouth and his brown eyes glanced at me over his brow, still bent over the pile.

"Only way to stay out of the mess outside."

I laughed with him; another reason Rory was so compatible, we both hated social convention – although he was much better at it then I was. Adults found him a better conversationalist, and with a better personality then mine.

"My thoughts exactly. So what can I help you with?" I grinned back, and I think he got the reason I was here too. He pushed himself back and pointed to a group of papers and other miscellaneous stuff on the left wall, underneath a huge pained window that was streaming in light.

"Most of that stuff is pictures. My father wants those sorted amongst all the others that have to be sorted first. Just take the pictures on the table and put it on the box left of you."

I saluted him and strolled over. They were, indeed, piles of photos. I took them and stacked them into the other box – nothing really to it. They were just photos of what looked like 17-almost-to-1900's stuff, pictures of men in suits, and I figured they must be men who helped raise Rory's family business. I flimsy looked through them, nothing too special that I could spot. That was until I came across some pictures of what looked like old photos of 1800's China. You could tell by the masses of people in the background of Asian descent, and they were mostly of iconic Chinese palaces.

"Is this China?" I called out to Rory. I heard him rustling around before answering with "yeah, my great-something grandfather sent the daughter of an old business partner of his overseas there to expand the company." I wonder how he magically knew that without even bothering to come over.

"Really?" That was something all on its own to me, considering women in that time period never become more then housewives.

"Yeah, it was her idea. We were the first company to go all the way there, and she was one of the first women to take place in that. There's nothing really exciting, but you might find a photo of her on the trip."

I imagined a young girl in the Victorian ages, not having any of that housewife crap and instead taking her part in the modern world, and chuckled, and in the back indeed found a photo. It didn't know what I was expecting, but what I did find stopped me dead frozen. I knew that curly blond hair and smile any day.

With shaky fingers, I grabbed my locket and opened it to yank out the photo, even though I knew it wouldn't have changed, but for some reason felt like I had to confirm it.

And undeniably, there it was. It was the exact face in both photos, Alice Kingsleigh.

I could feel my heart thumping, but I didn't know what the point in getting excited was considering she lived so, so long ago. I was aware that the photo I had was old, but there was no way to pinpoint the exact time and date. I mean come on; if that was really my mother, that would make me…I don't even know how old! Hundreds! In all reality, this was impossible.

But then again, reality was never the word I would ever really use in my life.

"Um, she didn't have a twin or anything did she? Maybe a doppelganger?"

I could hear Rory snort at, what he thought was, my slightly child-ish questions "Uh, she might've had a sister I dunno, but defiantly no doppelgangers."

Biting the inside of my cheek, I decided I couldn't let this go. There must be someone else who knows about this.

"Rory I have to go – thanks for this." I quickly sped to the door to find Victoria.

"But you have to help me finish – Erika..?"

x.x.x

Scanning the ridiculously green backyard of people, I spy her speaking with a new group of even older people. When I get there she smiled at me and says "Erika, I'm glad you're here, I was just talking Rory's aunt and uncle about Elizabeth's –"

"I'm sorry Victoria, but I really need to talk with you."

"Um, alright."

Finally finding a solitary spot away from the crowds, I cram the photo into her hand.

"Take a look at this!" Her eyes scrunch in confusion, but after realizing what it is, they drew back a bit.

"Hmmm," she hummed, placing the photo back with me "now that's quite something, isn't it?"

She smiled kindly, as if humoring me. It was like when I was little and would bring her a ladybug I found in our garden, or I would yell about how, in winter, I found two snowflakes that were exactly similer; it was a fake kind of light amusement, something I could tell from an early age. It was as if she didn't really want to get excited, but didn't want to crush my tiny spirits either.

My mouth fell open a bit, in surprise that after how shocked I was, she was not. I toyed with the photo, and she continued to watch and smile at me – bit of a mocking smile as well it seemed.

"So….you knew nothing about this?"

"No Erika. How could I know anything about it? I'm not heavily invested in the lives of the Ascots besides them being friends of your fathers, nor do I know anything about their history. What did Rory say?"

"He-he said that she had partnered with his family way, way back in Victorian times to expand their business in China. Her name, is Alice Kingsleigh."

"Well there you go.."

I was not satisfied with this answer "Yeah, but…."

Victoria then lost her charming smile "Don't tell me you're thinking what I think you are."

I averted my gaze from her for the longest time, suddenly feeling shamed to tell her I was. Eventually, I crossed our gazes to see her crossing her arms against me.

"But what if–"

"Erika this is not a big deal." She shut me down immediately, her tone getting colder.

"But it is!" Victoria knows about and who is in the picture hidden in my necklace – she has for years.

"It isn't! It's merely a coincidence. Erika," she grabbed the photo back, and began waving it in my face "this girl lived so long ago, you would've been long dead in the ground by now if you're her daughter."

There was silence were Victoria sighed again, and moved hair away from her face.

"Look, just don't give yourself any kind of false hope." Her tone changed, like she was speaking to a small child.

Another stretch of silence, and while she was valid, I just couldn't seem to believe it.

"It's just really hard to believe considering I've had this" I pulled at my locket, ripping out some hair in the process "all my life."

"Erika, you still can't be saying that this girl is your –"

"But what if it is?" The question seemed to hang in the air "This just makes her existence more legitimate. I mean, you've gotta admit, this is scary. They're _exactly_ the same."

"She could've had a twin."

"Rory didn't say so, and they would've had different names if so."

"Rory didn't live back then, and it could've easily been a mix up in labeling."

I dangled the necklace again "But what about –"

"Erika we know nothing about that locket. Someone might've switched the pictures, or it was the default photo when it was sold, who knows!"

I could've made other points, but I just groaned inwardly in frustration, putting my hands over my face. I've always been sort of aware of this since I was eight, but never wanted to admit it. I sighed, feeling myself getting worked up.

"…Victoria, I think your great, but _must_ you stomp on all my hopes?" It came out a bit sarcastically, like I didn't mean it, but I think she could hear the dark underlining, and she cast her eyes downwards.

"Because Erika hun," She glanced back up and put her hands on my shoulders "You're an orphan, and as great as it would be that we had some history, you can't build anything from this. You don't have anything for your parents or past, and you'll just have to deal with that fact."

The comment came out more hurtful then I'm sure it was intended. This is why I never told Victoria about the dreams and characters; she'd never really get it. But I didn't want to hear it – I never did – even though she's probably been waiting forever to tell me this. Tears were prickling at the edges of my eyes – then I could feel my cheeks burn from embarrassment, feeling ridiculous that I couldn't be strong enough to hold it in.

Victoria saw it, and puts on a little smile while rubbing my arm in hopes to comfort me "Oh Erika, it's alright.."

"Don't bother." I spat, shoving her arms away "But come find me when you know what it's like to have a past but _never _being able to remember it, to feel like an entire part of you is _missing_, and the dreadful feeling that you may never know!" My voice called out, and I could hear it bounce around us. Pairs of eyes were on us now, but I started to run.

x.x.x

Sniffling and trudging through bright grass, I took back my guitar and sketch book as I tried to get away from everyone. There's a huge kind of forest in the back of their land just up a slope. While breathing heavily, I plunked myself down by the first tree I spotted in the front.

I struggled to get my adoptive mother's words out of my head. As childish as it was, I didn't wanna listen in trying to hold on to the last shred of faith I had. Sighing again I stretched out to try to enjoy myself but when putting my hands back down on the ground, I was startled when my right one didn't find it.

Looking over my shoulder, I found a huge gaping hole right up against the tree. Everything was still hiked on my shoulders still so I curiously shuffled over to poke my head in. I tried calling out, and kind of stupidly kept inching down further.

And that's when, due to gravity and the damp grass my hands couldn't hold onto, I lost my handle on things and slipped, falling right through that rabbit hole.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Here's number 3! Uh, not much to say about this one. Just that it's got two parts; the ".5" will come next time.**

I swore the fall could've broken my whole body. I don't even remember my descent down; it was just a blur. But I fell straight down, right on my stomach with a _thump_. I groaned, pain seeping literally _everywhere_ in all my limbs. Eventually I propped myself up, holding my stomach. Great, now Victoria is going to have to fish me out of a rabbit hole – this'll surely be the next story everyone tells around the dinner table for a good few years.

_Remember that time Erika was crying so much that she fell down the rabbit hole?_

However, when I opened my eyes after keeping them pinched together from the pain, everything I saw around me did _not_ resemble a rabbit hole. I was in a small, round room, in fact. It was a sickly brown and beige colour mix, the wallpaper peeling. I managed to stand, though my legs were still a little wobbly, and my guitar had amazingly stayed on my back the whole ride down, and also amazingly, hadn't broken either. All around the entire one wall there was a door every five steps (or so) from each other.

Where in in god's name am I? I was expecting a compressed, damp hole full of dirt (perhaps with a family of bunnies). Did I miss something here?

Just off from where I had landed was a small glass table. Lying on top was a very old fashioned gold key, slightly rusted. Putting two and two together, I figured I'd probably have to use it to open one of the many doors. But which one? They were all identical; worn down, blackened wood with rusted knobs. I pressed my lips together and shrugged, just going for it. Maybe I had hit my head – though everything felt extremely vivid, especially that fall. Perhaps I had crashed into some underground house...?

Whatever is was, I for sure couldn't stay in this suffocatingly small room forever. So I snatched the key, choosing the door directly ahead of me. I fit it into the slot, and I left it stuck there, opening the crusted door. And good god, if I was shocked before, this was some kind of new level entirely.

Firstly, there was no room left. All that was behind me was a door and it's frame. But that couldn't compare to what I was seeing next. A slew of bright, vivid colours slammed right into my vision. I came to realize after a second that they were all flowers; blood red roses, obscenely yellow daffodils, soft dark blue bluebells. They littered the dark, earthy dirt ground for what seemed like miles. I took a glance at my feet to see I was standing on blue cobblestone steps, leading on into a pathway. Still dazed by what I saw, I stumbled down the steps, not keeping my eyes to where I was stepping. There was a few towering trees here and there, but mostly it was the exuberant flowers, or a mushroom every so often; red and sporting proud white spots. There seemed to be creatures skittering by to; sometimes bugs which I couldn't see but I could tell were there because the flowers would sway when they walked through them. Things like dragonflies buzzed by, and even things like horseflies. And when I say horseflies I do mean horseflies – little rocking horses with wings attached. One of them zoomed by my head, and I watched it descend behind a lily flower. Peeking upwards, I could see the sky was painted a bit of a gloomy colour, dark grey with ongoing cloud cover.  
I soon reached a large, decrepit black iron sign, words curved on the top to make some kind of sentence or title. But the words were too smudged together in some kind of old timey font which was totally illegible. That is until I realized it was backwards; I dashed to the other side of it to see it in the right order, though it still wasn't overly clear. This looked like the entrance to the gardens (I must've come from inside), and now my path divided into either left or right.

I was beyond amazed – it was like something out of a Grimm's tale. Whimsical, was the word. Yet – I was beginning to get a warm, familiar feeling out of this place. It was kind of like an odd deja vu; like I knew I had been here before, but couldn't quite place when or where this was – well, I guess that's not abnormal for me. I spun around slowly, soaking the place in.

I was knocked out of my daze by an irritated voice. It came, and I had to strain to hear it, from the right side of the path, beyond to where the garden stops and a forest of trees began. My heart started to pump faster – there were people here? Maybe they could tell me where the hell I was.

I rushed down the path, turning to where the path gives into the trees, then abruptly stops. And what I spotted there was also very unusual indeed.

It was a rabbit, a white one, dressed in a little outfit. He had, what appeared to be a map and a large golden pocket watch, staring at them obsessively. He stamped his foot impatiently, squinting with his beady eyes, making them even beadier.

Suddenly, a knight of all things, dressed in silver chainmail, came rushing towards him.

"Sir Mitchell, you were merely gone less than two minutes, you couldn't have possibly checked the whole premotor." The rabbit told him – the same voice that came fleeting from the gardens.

"I don't mean any offense sir, but I do believe that watch of yours isn't functioning properly." The knight, Sir Mitchell, replied. The rabbit "humphed" and scowled at him.

"My watch?! Preposterous!" He denied, scowering his eyes over the map. There was something about the little animal; until I suddenly remembered he was one of the many odd subjects that I drew. That's why the voice sounded like I knew it ever so slightly. My mind flashed back to the lunch scene with Katelynn where we were eating and I was drawing also; the day before we left for England.

_"Why does the rabbit have a pocket watch? What could he possibly need that for?"_

_"Why not? He's got important things to do, so he's got to be on time for them." _

_"Seems like rabbits wouldn't even be able to read time."_

Out of nowhere, a smile began to grow on my lips. As in a smile that hasn't happened for a long time; just the fleeting moments where Katelynn would make me laugh. It instantly almost became real. Maybe my dreams or whatever they were were actually real – I mean, one of them was standing right in front of me! And I wasn't dreaming...well, at least I don't think I am. Excitement pumped through me; finally, proof, in a weird way. I wanted to jump right in, but another voice came about.

"Then why are you repeatedly late?" it said. A second knight poked his head out from the undergrowth. More started to show up, talking amongst themselves. The rabbit just rolled his eyes.

Not being able to stay quiet much longer, and them not even noticing me here, I jogged forward, calling out.

"Um, hello..?" They spun their heads to me, eyes popping out, especially the rabbit. "I-I don't mean to intrude, but I kinda just 'dropped' – literally – in by accident I was thinking maybe –"

Then out of the calmness, the knights sprang forward, un-shielding their swords, pointing them at me and yelling out commands to one another. I stumbled back – great, now I started a mob. I held up my hands.

"Wait, I come in peace! I simply wanted to –"

"_Wait!"_

The knights froze in their place, and I realized the shout came from the rabbit. He squeezed his way through the wall, of what once was, advancing men and gazed up at me, his red eyes bulging and mouth agape.

"Are...are you...?" His words trembled. It was like he was seeing me as a giant, three headed monster with a craving for rabbit blood.

"...I'm Erika. Erika Kingsleigh." I informed him – at the rate he was going it would take him way too long to get the words out on his own.

"...Oh." He replied simply. Though not a second too soon, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, his breathing increased for about five seconds, then he fell right onto his back, out cold. My own eyes widened. I didn't realize I had the kind of power over others.

I put my attention to the knights, but their attention on him lasted about a second, and most of them were still ogling me. I zipped my eyes around, wanting to look anywhere but them; what was their issue?

"Uh, is anyone gunna help him?!" I demanded, directing my arms to the poor animal, lying outstretched in the grass. The tallest knight with light brown hair nodded his head quickly to the others, and they picked up the poor bunny. He went up to me, still locking eyes.

"Are you really who you say you are?" He asked in wonder. I squinted at him.

"Why would I lie? I don't even know where I am – maybe." I was defiant at first, but my voice wavered at the end. He quirked his head.

"Maybe...?" His expression screamed of confusion and worriment. He looked like he was gunna start up again but one of the other men shouted out.

"Hey, he's coming to!" He yelled, as they all hovered over the animal who was muttering and turning around in the grass – and that's when a knight, carrying water in his helmet, dumped the whole thing over the little guy. He sprung up, gasping, looking a mix between, confused, surprised and enraged.

"You fool! Look what you've done to my map!" He squeaked, shaking the now drenched scroll in his paw. But when he saw me again, all of that changed. He scampered to me, then began to pace around my feet, muttering words like "oh my" and "what will I say?!" amongst others.

"I'm sorry," I started again "but I don't get all this commotion. What will you say to who? And, who are you?" My own questions needed answering now – I was tired of being left in the dark.

"I thought you remembered!" The knight with the brown hair called out, pointing his sword accusingly. I glared at his need to intrude.

"I said maybe!" I yelled back, getting irritated. Usually I wouldn't shout at someone I didn't know like that. The rabbit stopped his pacing, and slowly turned his head to me.

"You remember?"

"Yes, but – kind of." I said lamely "It feels familiar, but I don't _really _remember. That's the best way I can put it." I shrugged, observing the spindling trees, then to him, pointing "and I remember you."

I was expecting a smile of some kind, 'cause everyone is usually happy when they hear that, but his expression was nothing like that. He looked like he wanted to throw up, and I was afraid he would all over my feet.

"That's what I was afraid of." He murmured, running his paws over his floppy ears. Uh, thanks?

"What will we do? She won't be pleased at all." The same knight spoke out again, looking at his comrades. They all nodded, their own faces turning to worry and the muttering started back up.

"Maybe she won't be so angry, maybe she'll be happy, possibly."

"You're daft Martin."

"Well I'm not speaking to her!"

"What will you do Nivens?"

"Shush, all of you!" The rabbit yelled, putting his paws over his eyes in frustration. Who were they talking about? Their leader? If so, she didn't seem very welcoming if this is the kind of reaction they have to newcomers.

"Who? Talk to who?!" I was frustrated too; nothing had been answered. I still don't know where I am!

"Someone you will, ultimately, have to see." He grumbled, then puffed out some air angrily, straightening himself "The perimeter check will have to wait. We need to get back immediately. Come gentlemen, and...Erika."

The men eagerly waltzed out of the clearing, going the same way I came in, except they kept going a bit more from off of the path, and soon a large group of horses could be seen. They were tied up, and perked up their heads as their riders came out in the open.

"My questions still haven't been answered." I told the rabbit bitterly, him strolling beside me at the back of the pack. He sighed helplessly.

"What is it?"

"First off, where are we?!"

"Underland."

"_Underland_?" I repeated, the odd word rolling off my tongue. I guess that makes sense, considering the way I came in.

"Ok, who are you? And who are they?"

"I'm Nivens, or the White Rabbit as I've been referred to; I'm the royal assistant. The men are just a sample of the knights we have from the castle."

"Castle?!"

"Yes, where we will be going." I felt like I had less information then I started with. He walked into the group of horses with me following; the knights were mounting and putting on their helmets, and Nivens sought out the light brown haired one.

"You will ride with Sir Mitchell until we reach our destination, and then, well, we will decide what to do next.." He left me standing there, walking over to another knight and was hoisted onto the back of his horse. He struck out his hand to me, and I grabbed it without having another solid choice, settling behind him on the rear end of the horse. We came to the front, and he looked behind him to his men. I figured this guy must be the lead of the small group.

"Alright men, onward! Back home!" He rang out, and the men cheered back, and soon we were off, galloping off to god knows where now.

x.x.x

It took us a while, but we finally got to the castle the White Rabbit was talking about. If I wasn't in such a daze I might've appreciated its beauty a bit more. A majestic blue castle which shinned in the light, looking like it was made out of glass. Two guards stood at the gate as we passed, but while keeping their composure, I felt their eyes boring into me as we left them. The White Rabbit told one of the guards to put away the horses, take my things (I tried to put up a fight) and to "keep quiet about this until _you know who_ knows", while the other came with us, in through the entrance. I guess they were really vigilant about visitors; I must've screwed up their record. And I was desperately wanting to know who this "you know who" was.

After climbing some stairs, we entered what appeared to be a huge ballroom. The floor had checkered white and blue tiles, and up a few stairs ahead of us was a throne. It was flanked by two curtains a few feet away, and if I'm not mistaken, leading into separate hallways. Huge pointed glass windows decorated the walls, leading the last of the sunlight in. The rabbit paced a bit more, obsessively checking his watch and then looked up at me.

"You'll have to stay here with one of our guards, while I go and get, well…..someone you should be seeing."

By now, I'd doubt I'd be surprised so I just sighed and said "whatever you say Fluffy."

"My name is Nivens, if you _please_." He reminded me indignantly, then turned to my guard "Stay here until I come back; keep a watchful eye on her." His beady eyes came back to me as if he was a disappointed parent with an out of control child, then as if in a blink of an eye, scampered off through the stairs, past the throne chair and was gone.

x.x.x

Nivens rushed through the halls, his stomach churning as he stopped at the doors. He knew she had an important meeting today, but this was bounds more important. Mustering up the little courage he had, he pushed open the heavy doors.

She was there at the head of the table, and was staring down at a map until Nivens made his way in. The other important members of the meeting also turned their heads to stare at him, and Nivens felt himself go red (he didn't even know rabbits could blush!). She stared at him now too, and he could spot anger in her piercing blue eyes, though she never showed it through her face; that women barely showed too much emotion, Nivens simply knew her all too well.

"Nivens, unless we're being swarmed by a pack of horseflies, what would possess you to slam open the doors and interrupt our meeting?"

Nivens swallowed the lump in his throat, and tried to remember how she would feel when he told her.

"Your Majesty, my sincerest apologies, but we have a dire emergency." The other members began to murmur ("What was going on?"), but they awaited Nivens answer as well.

"Well what could possibly be so incredibly important?!"

"I'm sorry again Your Highness, but, we have a, uh, well….I'm not entirely sure how to put it..."

The young woman huffed, marching her way over to Nivens, given he certainly won't get there himself. She knelt down, fixing him in her glare.

"_What_ is it Nivens?" She pressed, putting emphasis on each word. Nivens looked around anxiously, then carefully leaned up on his hind legs, whispering the "dire emergency" into her ear.

Of course none one else in the room could hear the exchange, but they certainly didn't miss the colour drain from the young women's face, or the hand clasping over her mouth. There was, what felt like, a longing silence.

"…You're confident Nivens? This isn't like that mix-up we had before, is it?" She stood over him now, and once again, only Nivens was aware of the emotion in her; the desperation quietly hidden in her question.

"Positive." He saw her take in a huge breath, then turn her head to where her meeting had taken place.

"My deepest apologies everyone, but I must be going. Our maids will show you out. I hope we can continue our discussion another time."

x.x.x

I let out another dramatic sigh of boredom, but again, it doesn't seem to faze the guard. I wanted to sit, but if I so much as take a half step forward he whips his head at me and I can feel him staring menacingly through his helmet. But my heart beat picks up when I hear the scampering paws of the rabbit, and the other movement of someone else with him. "You know who" must be here.

"I promise you, I wouldn't make the same mistake twice." I saw him come out one of hallways, left of the throne chair. He glanced at me, then at the entrance of the hallway, waiting for the person to follow.

"I trust you Nivens, but it'll be difficult trying to get everyone back to meet again, also this is a very serious matter and –"

My hands flew over my mouth, and I swear, my heart might've stopped working right then and there from the shock.

I couldn't believe it.


	4. Chapter 35

**A/N: Apologizes for the lateness, things have been busy. But here's the rest of the chapter.**

Never in my life would I have pictured this moment like this – at least not with a talking rabbit, in a blue castle of all things. But my eyes couldn't have deceived me this time. There she was. Alice Kingsleigh stood before me.

I couldn't find my voice this time, and it seemed neither could she. Though I didn't need to double check, I tore my eyes off of her to scramble for my locket. I popped it open and there it was again, two identical faces. The one I had was much younger; she didn't look any older than me. But as I saw her now, she looked about a bit younger then Victoria; her face a bit worn down by the years but she had the same blue eyes and wispy blond curls. She walked over to me now, till we were about face to face, and gently took the locket from my hand to gaze at it.

"I – I can't believe it's you, wha – I –" It was if I was speaking for the first time, but that didn't seem to bother Alice and she smiled softly at the locket, though not really paying attention to the photo.

"You kept it." Her voice was barely a whisper, and cracked a bit.

"Yeah, I guess I did." She let it go and went back to looking at me. I barely heard Nivens shuffle in the background.

"I'm so happy, and surprised." I began "I mean, it wasn't logical, but I always knew. Knew you were really here – well, not _here_ here – but I always held onto that belief." She squinted at me, throwing off that happy glaze on her face.

"What do you mean?"

"Well," I took the locket again "People always told me not to get any false hope, but I always knew. I had the picture, and I would have dreams with you in them – well, dreams or memories, I couldn't tell the difference. I knew it wasn't by accident."

"You….you remember me?"

"Yeah, of course! Well, a bit. I don't really remember who you are exactly, the photo told me long ago, if it isn't lying. I don't really remember, but I feel like I know you. Actually, a lot of this feels very familiar." She continued to stare at me while I smiled dumbly, then over to Nivens, and I followed – but Nivens wasn't looking at either of us, he just seemed to be very interested in studying his watch. It was like he knew this was coming.

Alice grabbed my locket again, and slipped the photo out, probably seeing where her name had been crossed out with "mother" written below it. I thought she was angry for a minute, but then she brought her gaze to me, almost as if to take me in, and the same smile came back again.

"It isn't lying."

I had never been a very affectionate person; I mean I only ever hugged my adoptive family if it was their birthday. But what I did next surprised me, and I think everyone else too. I grinned widely then threw my arms around her, hugging her close.

"I knew it." My voice was muffled since my face was pressed into her shoulder. Soon though, I found her arms around me too, holding me tightly.

"I can't believe your back."

I guess this was how I had imagined it after all.

x.x.x

It wasn't long before I was trailing after Alice in the hallway. After she let go of me from our embrace (I let go before she did, but it took her a few more seconds), she told the rabbit, or Nivens as he is, to "gather everyone in the dining hall early." She said they were about to have supper, but I couldn't just simply squeeze myself in – she needed to announce my arrival first. Apparently this was a big deal.

"You can just wait outside while I tell them all." She offered.

"Um, sure. But who are they all?"

"Friends, attendances of the castle, knights. People who hold a higher job, just so they can be informed first and spread it to the workers under them."

"Ok.." I tried to picture who they might be. I didn't know any "friends", and the others might just be maids and such – and I had a brief glimpse of hope that maybe, they'll be the creatures or people that had clogged my mind for so many years. While I was buzzing with that thought, I took another look at the older women ahead of me. Her attire didn't give any clues, just a dress and sword at her belt; I knew she was my mother, but who else was she?

"Well wait, who…who are you exactly?" She glanced over her shoulder, looking quizzically at me.

"I thought we already established that."

"No I mean, what's your job here?" A grin danced on her lips, and she moved her eyes away from me.

"Well this may be hard to believe Erika, now, but," she turned back, and I couldn't help but think she was doing it for dramatic effect "I'm the Queen of Underland." I stopped in my tracks.

"You're..you're the _Queen?_" I breathed out. Any thoughts of my mother previously were very fuzzy, so this was completely new news to me. It was the last thing I would've guessed.

"Not by blood, but in every other sense." She replied calmly – I guess she had perceived that reaction from me. She stared at me a bit more, then kept walking. I sped up to keep up behind her.

"But if you're Queen, shouldn't you have like, a crown or something? Maybe someone trailing behind you to watch over or whatever?"

"I find crowns a bit ridiculous," she began "I don't need to wear one all of the time, people are aware of who I am – it's only important in ceremonies. And as for a guard," she smiled briefly, and looked at me, her hand reaching down to tap her fingernails on her sword handle "I can handle those things on my own."

"Wow." I muttered – but then another thought seemed to slam right into me like a truck, and I stopped again "Ok wait, hold on!" I held out my hands as if to stop her; she just appeared confused again.

"So, if you're Queen, and I'm your daughter.." I folded my hands together and pressed them to my lips. I didn't want to acknowledge what I was about to say "Doesn't that make me…a princess?"

"Correct." She replied casually "Your Princess Erika."

My brain couldn't even process this for a while, and I just stood there, letting the shock sink in.

"Oh god…..I'm having my own Princess Diaries moment." I muttered, literally putting my hands to the sides of my face in astonishment.

"Sorry?" She asked, quirking her head, and I realized she probably didn't make the connection. Katelynn would've found it funny – she would've found the whole ordeal funny. I found myself imagining her reaction, and I shook my head.

"Nothing…it's nothing." I grumbled and rubbed my eyes. If this wasn't enough (and don't get me wrong, I'm glad I'm here, but it's been a long day), I get to find out I'm freaking royalty.

"I know that's a lot to handle Erika, but don't worry – no one would be expecting anything of you just yet." I didn't know whether or not to take that as an insult or compliment. And what did she mean, "not yet"?

We continued down the hall until we reached a fairly large, I guess, meeting room to which I could hear very, very faint murmuring (I suppose eavesdropping was out of the question). She stood in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"Just stay here and wait until I come back. Most are going to want to meet you right away, however if you're not comfortable making an appearance straight away they can meet you separately."

"Uh," I drawled, not knowing which side to pick. I hate being put in front of an audience, but I was dying to see if I could find any familiar faces.

"I think I can handle them." I spoke a little unconfidently – damn my curiosity. I just had to see.

"Great." She said nicely, putting on a smile. Then she slipped in between the two grand doors, clicking when she closed them. I didn't even get to peek in to see who was in there.

Sighing, I slid down the wall and sat on the rugged carpet, trying to swallow this "princess" pill – this was going to be an interesting ride.

x.x.x

The murmuring ceased when Alice entered the room. They straightened their backs and paid close attention as she stepped directly in front of the room.

"Evening everyone." She started "I'm glad you could all join me, because I have some very, well, interesting news." They all remained quiet, sitting on edge as to what could possibly be said. She'd never call so many different people together if it wasn't for a huge reason.

"As some of you may have noticed, we have a special arrival…" Alice swallowed uneasily, mostly because she was having a hard time taking in this information as well. When Erika had stood there, ten feet taller but her blue eyes still as inquisitive as they always had been, Alice was sure she was dreaming.

"…my daughter, Erika, is back."

No one would've guessed that. Eyes drew wider and they all spun their heads to see the other person's reaction. Noise began to fly up again.

"Is she really?!" A voice carried out through the air. Alice looked down to the end of the wooden table many of them were sitting at to find Mallymkun. Despite coming from a very small body, her voice was the loudest over the commotion. Alice simply nodded.

"…Does she remember me?" Mally's tone seemed to squeak more at asking the question – there was a trace of desperation hidden inside it. Alice bit her bottom lip, unable to answer just yet.

"What about the rest of us?" A knight, in full-fledged uniform, raised his hand.

"How did this happen?!" Another voice rose, and Alice could tell she was slowly losing control of the room.

"Now just wait –" She tried, but with no luck.

"What will happen to her now?!"

A maid's voice cried out "What about –"

Faces went pale once they heard that one word, and they looked amongst each other, suddenly very frightened. At the sight of this, the Queen's eyes hardened.

"Quiet!" Alice yelled out – she hated to, but it got their attention. They fell back, a little shamed that they spoke slightly out of place. Alice sighed, and she attempted to gather her words.

"It is too early to decipher what should happen next. I need to speak with her more. You must be patient." She paused for a bit. "Erika seems to recall more then she should be able to, which is _none_, but do not put any pressure on her to place any more faces then she can. And as for…what was mentioned," the silence holding the room could've made their ears bleed "It's been far too long to worry about that; there hasn't been words passed about it in a long time, so you mustn't worry."

"Now, she has told me she would like to come in and meet you all – so please, do not crowd her, and don't be offended if she doesn't remember you, it's been a tiresome day. Lastly, the most important, _no one_ shall mention anything as to what happened previous to her arrival besides the formalities. If she asks any questions, pretend you don't know. And Nivens and Mally," Alice scanned the room for them; Mally was still on the table, and Nivens had been hiding over by the knights, trying not to be seen "I want to speak with you both after we're done, I have some questions." She finished darkly, making everyone curious to know what those two creatures had been keeping from the Queen.

Alice then moved over and almost silently opened the door, calling for her daughter in a whisper. They all stood to attention, peeking over each other's shoulders, just to get a glimpse – a glimpse of the young girl they hadn't seen in so long.

"Erika, you may come in."

I jumped up almost rapidly, nearly forgetting that she was gunna call for me. Awesome – I just love crowds. I exhaled, stepping into the doorway, not having the slightest idea of what to expect.

There was about twenty or so many people in there – knights in armour standing at the back, a few staff members such as butlers and maids in uniform, and a few other oddities. They stared back at me, and I could feel them evaluating me –to which I then became _immediately self-conscious _of myself_. _Fantastic. I felt like running out, or even yelling at them to _stop ogling me goddamn it! _ Whispers went up, but before anyone could speak out, I saw a small flash of movement.

I was about three seconds away from screaming when I felt something crawling up my arm. I flinched and jumped a bit, only to spot a _mouse_ in a little uniform with a tiny sword at its side, come scampering up my arm. It reached up to my shoulder and stared hopefully at me.

"Erika! I haven't seen ya' in so long! Do you remember me?! I'm Mally!" She squeaked excitedly and I bushed my eyebrows together in trying to place her.

I did – well, as far as I could go. The familiar feeling started to stir in the pit of my stomach.

"_Cute mouse. But what would a mouse need to defend herself from with a tiny toothpick of a sword anyway?"_

"Yeah, yeah I do!" I grinned "Well, a little bit – it's probably good that you told me your name."

"You and me were best pals you know!" She chuckled, folding her tiny arms. I couldn't wipe the smile from my face. Now I finally knew one more – I was already starting to feel more at home. And as I went back to the others, I suddenly wasn't so afraid any more.

"Well," Alice clapped her hands, calling the attention to her quickly "You are all dismissed, and I'm sure if you would like to speak with Erika, she wouldn't mind." She smiled down to me, and I nodded to the audience.

They got up from their chairs and spots, passing through the doors and some waved or said hi to me; and I returned the gesture. They didn't seem all that familiar, but I had to be polite.

"Now," Alice began, peering over my shoulder to Mally "Mally, I still need to speak with you and Nivens, please."

"Alright." She sighed and ran back down my arm – but not before telling me she'd see me later. She went over to stand by Nivens beside the table.

"And Erika, there should be – wait, there they are." She pointed over to a spot in the room. I quickly turned my head that way. She had directed out two guys in chainmail with swords on their belts, and motioned for them to come over. They didn't look any older than me.

"Erika, this is Gareth Selwyn, and Tobias Blythe. They are part of my knights, and the youngest ones; the most successful for their age." She smiled, and I scanned them over. The first one she mentioned looked about seventeen, tan skin with red hair and green eyes – he grinned brightly, obviously a people person. The other, well, was a lot more _striking_ you could say.

He had black hair a bit past his ears and bangs partly sided so they were over his right eye just a tad. His skin was light in tone and he was slightly taller. But his eyes stuck out excessively; they were an icy pale blue, so light it almost made them look white. He glanced over to me and a smirk crawled onto his face. He had the "mysterious stranger" thing down packed.

"Your Majesty, you're too kind." The first – the redhead – spoke out, but I you could tell he enjoyed the praise.

"I only speak the truth Gareth – well, as far as the truth goes." She grinned. "I was hoping you could take Erika for a short view of the castle, just so she knows where everything is."

"Of course!" Gareth said, turning to the other one; Tobias, I believe. He kept his calm and mysterious demeanor, still smirking.

"Of course Your Highness." His voice was low and he nodded to her.

"Excellent. Just be back before dinner is served, I heard the March Hare has helped cook up quite a feast." She nodded appropriately, then soon she was walking out the door as well, Mally and Nivens trailing after. We were the only ones left in the room. I stared back at them, feeling the awkwardness surrounding us.

"Um, lead the way gentlemen." I gestured out to the hall and followed them out.

x.x.x

Alice led the accused down the hall, into one of the many rooms that just seem to show up among the halls without a purpose. She ushered them in before closing and locking the doors. They stood in a tense silence, the two creatures waiting for Alice to say something while she pinched the bridge of her nose, looking slightly overwhelmed.

"Now, I know we're all happy about Erika's return; I can't deny that I'm happy to see her." She finally glanced up "However there are some questions that need answering."

She looked down to see Nivens nervously wringing his paws and lightly stomping his foot, while Mally had her eyes cast down in an annoyed way with her arms crossed, though her expression gave away that she was guilty of something. Alice knew it only took a small while before someone eventually gave out an answer.

"Alright it was me, I apologize!" Alice couldn't help but have a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She knew it was bad to prey on Nivens's extreme nervousness and anxiety, but she also knew he'd be the first one to give away anyway.

"You don't even know what she's asking!" Mally spat at Nivens, angry at his weakness and inability to keep quiet. Alice ignored Mally; she'd give in later.

"It's alright Nivens." She sat down on an open armed chair "Everyone knew you were the one who had to take care of Erika. I assumed you did, and while everything seemed to work out, she can still remember in certain ways. Why?"

"Oh, well you see, it's a tad complicated…" Nivens fumbled with his words, but eventually got a hang of it. He explained everything, but kept on twitching, and had to press himself to go on. Alice had rested her chin on her hands as they were clasped together, still watching Nivens – and as he told her what had happened, her calm demeanor slowly started to evaporate. As it had turned out, Nivens had not carried out his duty like he should've – and only _now _she finds out.

When he was done (whispering the last few words because he was reluctant to say it), there was a small silence as Alice processed it, staring down at the floor. She couldn't believe it; she had trusted Nivens, and while he was always did his job well and did things correctly, but when the matter of her daughter had come in place, something like this happens?

She leapt up from the chair, anger getting the better of her "So all these passing years, you had never told me this, _and_ Erika was up there, with almost an entire conscious of her past?! Of us?! She was in danger!"

Both Nivens and Mally shrank back from the sudden tone in her voice, and Alice could see the frightened look on their faces. She took a step back, and mentally scolded herself. Alice was always firm – she had to be in her position – but never got angry and yelled unless absolutely necessary. She knows they still remember the days of the Red Queen, her harsh rule, and where a simple slip up could mean punishment for all of them. She never wanted them to remember that, or feel like they were in that position again.

"I'm sorry Nivens. I just wished you had told me earlier."

"I'm sorry, again..Alice."

Alice let out a sigh of air and fell back into the chair, trying to think of where to go from here now knowing this information.

"I'll think of something. Now Mally,"

Mally's head turned sharply to Alice, as if she just remembered she was here for questioning too. She saw the young Queen pull a small, what looked like, piece of paper out of her pocket and she felt her heart skip a beat.

"Explain this to me." Placing it upwards, Mally saw what it was, and stared at the floor again in quiet shame.

"I believe that's a photo of you, Alice."

"I realize what it is Mally, tell me why I found it in my daughter's locket when I knew it had been empty."

Mally twitched her whiskers and scuffed her feet along the floor, stalling.

"Mally –"

"Why do you think it was me?!" The mouse snapped.

"Because no one else would have dared." Alice answered calmly. She knew her friends well, that was for sure.

"Alright…it was me."

"And this," she turned over the picture to show the crossed out words and what had been scribbled underneath "Only you print this un-neatly."

"I do not! I write a lot better then you! In fact –" Then she slapped a small paw over her mouth, just seeing what she had unintentionally admitted. Alice raised her eyebrows up in slight amusement.

"You've become too predictable Mally. Now just tell me why you did it."

Mally finally admitted defeat and sighed, and if Alice wasn't mistaken, she saw a glimpse of sadness dash across her face.

"I did it 'cause, well, I didn't want her to forget. It wasn't fair! She was one of my closest friends! You were the only one who had a photo anyway. I crossed out your name so she would really know who you were."

Alice nodded ever so slightly after a while, then slid the picture back into her pocket, her expression somber. The choice was as hard on her as it was on everyone.

"I'm…sorry Alice. It was a bit selfish."

She sat it on a bit longer, trying to think, staring at her lap again. Regardless, Erika was here with knowledge she shouldn't possess, and that was all there was to it. Eventually she lifted her face to her friends.

"Well, there isn't much we can do about it." She tried to smile at them and look not as anxious as she felt about the matter; they however, gave much larger smiles back, relived that she wasn't completely mad at them.

"That's a better way to look at it." Mally offered, then scampered up the arm chair to make it to Alice's shoulder as she was getting up.

"What do you plan to do?" Nivens asked the young queen, coming up by her side.

"I'm not sure yet. We'll just have to see if she gets curious-er about her past to the point of asking."

"Well she's your daughter, so that'll happen all too quickly." Mally chided, and Alice couldn't help but actually smile at that.

x.x.x

The three of us stomped down the spiral staircase after, what felt like, touring about fifty different levels of this place. We're reaching the ground level now Gareth said – he'd been doing all the talking, Tobias only breaking in when he pointed out something wrong – then out to the courtyard. He led the way to a large hallway.

"Down there at the end is the kitchen," Gareth pointed, and I could smell the various scents of the food, reminding myself how hungry I was "but we probably shouldn't go in there now. The March Hare is cooking up a storm, and he isn't at his best when he's busy." We turned the other way, though I was confused.

"Why not?"

"Let's say that unless you want a tea cup or some jam thrown to your head, you best stay out." Tobias told me, his voice dripping with sarcasm. That just made me more confused, but we continued in silence.

"This place is rather big," I said off-handily, just to fill in all the quiet "I'm confident I'll get lost as soon as I step out of a room."

"Don't worry, you'll become familiar with it quickly Princess!" Gareth grinned, putting his hands up nonchalantly. I chewed on my tongue lightly, mind buzzing.

"You don't have to call me 'Princess' you know." I tried casually, except they both looked at me with ghostly expressions – ok well, just Gareth; Tobias only raised his eyebrows in what looked like a surprised but impressed way

"Really I'd rather you didn't – I mean considering I only found out about twenty minutes ago. I'm not one really."

"Then what shall we call you?" Tobias inquired.

"Just Erika, that is my name after all." I shrugged and he smirked.

"That is true, and it is lovely. Erika means 'powerful and regal' you know."

"Does it?" I whipped my head up to see him; he was about three or so inches above me. He nodded. "…What does Tobias mean?"

"I don't have the slightest clue." He admitted, chuckling a bit and so did I.

"Well I think it's too formal – how about Toby?"

He waited a while, scrunching his face a bit, but then relaxed – his eyes lit up while he kept smirking.

"I guess so – just you only Erika." He breathed lowly, not looking away from me. I couldn't help the smile pressing itself over my lips, and I didn't really wanna look away either.

"Can I call you Toby?" Gareth poked in, smiling in a jokingly sweet way from behind us and Toby just gave him the most forward "are you serious?" expression. I held back a laugh.

"I don't think so Selwyn."

"Fine," Gareth pretended to pout "but next time going to sign you up for stable cleaning duty."

"You wouldn't dare." Toby folded his arms, and when Gareth shrugged while smiling, Toby started running towards him. Gareth's eyes grew ten times their size and he wasted no time sprinting out of there. I sped after them, laughing and made sure no one poked someone else's eye out.

x.x.x

We had scowered the courtyard rather quickly – Gareth told me if we dawdled we'd be late for dinner. They showed me the stables, were the blacksmith was, and the courtyards where the knights practiced. When we got upstairs, Alice was leaning against the doorway.

"Good, you two aren't late." She stood back up properly "Unfortunately, Nivens is."

"I find it surprising that you find that surprising Your Majesty." Toby joked, and she chuckled some.

"Indeed. Well, I know you two always dine with the other knights, but you are welcome to join us this evening." Toby's eyes lit up at that, but Gareth seemed to frown – actually frown – at the idea.

"We thank you for your offer, however I believe it is not quite our place yet Your Highness. Tomric will be expecting us anyway." Gareth politely reclined.

"Very well." They nodded to us and then made their down the hall, disappearing soon.

"Who's Tomric?" I questioned.

"He's our Head Commander, he's in charge of all the knights in the castle." She then pushed open the door for me, gesturing for me to go in first. I strolled in, seeing all sorts of new faces sat up against the table. Multiple dishes were strewn all over the table – all looking amazing, by the way. Dishes holding heaping amounts of roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables, etc. A tray of tarts and scones, including a butter dish. A bowl with some kind of cream soup accompanied each plate. And at the end there's a steaming roast. There can't be enough people for this ridiculous amount of food.

Speaking of which, I scanned all the different faces. At the far end of the table (closest to the double doors, to us) was, what looked like, two little twin kids, both boys. Odd little guys, both bald. On their side to the right was a rabbit – but not Nivens; it was a scrawny little guy in a blue waist coat, his crazed eyes darting everywhere. I could only take him to be the March Hare. Across from him was an empty chair which I could assume was for Nivens, and across from him was an old Bloodhound of all things. Would he be eating our food? I just tried to imagine if a dog tried to sit at our table, Victoria having a fit. Finally, next to Nivens's empty chair, was a fairly strange looking man. He was in a brown waistcoat with a disarray of different colours poking out of him. He adorned a top hat and he had frizzy, curly orange hair. His face was extremely pale, seeming like it was caked with white chalk; and he had very bright, green eyes.

Alice went over to the head of the table and I tried to keep pace – and I chose a seat just on the right side of her, the only empty one which wasn't already preoccupied.

"This looks fantastic." I spoke up.

"Yes, they really out did themselves this time." Mally replied; she was sitting right next to me – well, just on the table, her smaller helpings already cut on her plate. Even though it was half his doing, the March Hare didn't even look up for his compliment; he was far too fascinated with his cutlery instead.

We soon all dug in, scooping our own portions. Nivens scampered in a bit later, apologising for his lateness; not that anyone seemed to notice. I grabbed a spoon from one of the dishes, just as the top-hated man went for it as well.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" I shrunk back.

"Erika, this is Tarrant, or Hatter as we've all come to know him. He's makes all the hats for the Queen." My mother told me.

I glanced back up out of my embarrassment, and his green eyes glinted as he grinned.

"_Dude's got quite the top hat. Can you draw me with one too?"_

"_You wish."_

"Or course." I smiled at him.

"Pleasure, Princess. It's been so long you know. I'm very glad you could make it."

"Me too." I took everyone in again. I seemed to recall them somewhat – but I needed a roll call.

"Um," I turned to my mother as she placed a spoonful of food in her mouth "Do you mind…?" I gestured as lightly as I could to them all, and she seemed to place my meaning. She smiled and picked up her butter knife, pointing using the end.

"Down at the end there," she began "are the Tweedles; Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee." They were ramming food into their mouths, sometimes squawking at one another, sometimes shoving. They reminded me of my siblings.

"Which one is which?" I wondered, but all she did was roll her eyes and throw her hands in the air.

"I'll never know." She mumbled, making me laugh. Guess I'll just have to figure it out for myself.

"You already know the two rabbits. The Bloodhound is Bayard –"

"He eats our food?"

"Somewhat." She shrugged, just like you were talking about the weather "And that should be everyone." She sunk back into her seat. "Except perhaps –"

She was about to finish – that is, until some mists of smoke started to arise around the top of Hatter's hat. It seemed to phase into something – a cat of all things, blue and grey striped. He perched himself on top of the hat and grinned down at me with the widest grin I've ever seen.

"Chess, I was about to mention you. How nice of you to drop in." My mother smirked. He glazed his eyes slyly at us.

"I do try to make an appearance every so often." He purred. Hatter almost immediately saw where the feline was sitting, which was almost on top of him. Looking disgruntled, he threw his arms up and snatched his hat, but not before the cat, one step ahead, rolled off and floated next to him. Hatter kept his hat on his lap, scowling at him.

"The flowers were gossiping as per usual, and I simply _had _to come and see if it was true." The cat carried on. Now his large, turquoise eyes were preying on me. "And it seems they are."

"_I don't think cats have that many teeth. At least make his smile less wide, he freaks me out."_

"Yes, so it seems." I bantered back "I'm –"

"There is no need for an introduction my dear." He wisped away, then phased back in beside me, curling his tail around my neck. "I know who you are."

"Ah, but I don't quite recall your name." I smirked, and he put a paw over his chest, feigning hurt; Alice was grinning beside us.

"Why, I'm insulted. I'm Cheshire, the Cheshire cat."

"How fitting." I rolled my eyes a bit, still grinning.

"Hmmm…" he mumbled, giving me a look over, folding his arms in the air and resting his chin on them "Yes, no one can deny she's your daughter Alice." He snipped sarcastically. Alice rolled her blue eyes as well.

"Well, Chess, would you like to join us for dinner?" She asked politely, moving onto another subject.

"Well, in any other circumstance, you all know I would rather be on my own; but given such a _special _occasion, I think I will." He then floated onto Mally's chair, because she for sure wasn't using it.

Throughout the night, we chatted and laughed – to which I almost lost it when the March Hare threw a lump of mashed potatoes at Chess, but he phased out, and it splattered all over Mally instead. She didn't find it as hilarious as the rest of the table did however. But the happy atmosphere kept up, and I didn't stop grinning and beaming at our group, all evening.

x.x.x

Dinner didn't take too long to clean up. Alice had excused herself – mostly because Nivens was nagging her to finish up some tasks. But when I got up from my seat, stuffed, I saw her speaking with an older man in a tux.

When I tried to help the staff clean up – but kept getting politely declined – he came up and tapped my shoulder. I spun on my heels to see him; he was much older, in his fifties or so with black hair, a few grey splotches in between the strands. He smiled at me, the wrinkles turning under his kind brown eyes.

"Hello Princess."

"Hi." I smiled back.

"I am Vaen, the Head Butler. Your mother was just speaking to me a moment ago; she would like me to show you to your quarters, if you don't mind."

"My…quarters?" He chuckled a bit in his throat, still smiling.

"You're bedroom, Princess."

"Oh!" I was going to have to get used to the way people spoke around here "Sure, uh, that would be nice."

"Very well. Follow me please." He turned gracefully and I followed him up. We trailed through the halls, going up another flight of stairs. Things had turned silent; everyone had nearly retired to their rooms now, or were just finishing up a few things. The hall was pretty dark now as we strolled down, our footsteps making the only noise.

"I hope it fits your suiting Princess. Our maids just finished tiding it up."

"I don't think you can disappoint." I shrugged, striding along beside him "I mean, I had to share a room with a little seven year old brat who hide her stolen cookies under my bed until I was thirteen. I'd wake up to find crumbs in my socks. "

He tossed his head back, laughing graciously, and I couldn't help but giggle slightly.

"I do hope the rats didn't nibble at your toes."

"They were merciful." His smile brimmed and so did mine; I did enjoy his company, he was a very warm soul.

"Here we are." He twisted the door handle to a double door-ed room open, and I'll tell you, it went _beyond_ my own suiting.

It was a humongous size; the walls were painted a crème color, and the furniture around it had the same colour, but with a bit of a tint of gold. To my very far right was a four podium double bed with a draping sheet at the top – it had about five million different pillows on it. At the end of it, there was a very Victorian, flowery mired table, and beyond that was a door that undoubtedly led to a bathroom. In the center were about four lounging arm chairs and a white granite table. A very light brown round rug with gold tassels sat underneath it. On the left wall was a dark wood pull-out closet, then beside it was a writing desk (accessorized by a pot of ink and quill) and at the end was a bookshelf. At the opposite wall facing us were two square, obsessively large windows and in between them were two glass double doors, leading out to a round, grey cement deck. A shimmering chandelier with glowing candles dangled from the ceiling, lighting up the whole place, save for a few candles placed on things like the desk or my beside drawer. Still in a state of shock, I stepped in further.

"It's not as quite as large as the Queen's, but suitable I believe." Vaen pondered, observing the room.

"'Suitable'?!" I gasped, rotating in his direction "Vaen, this is amazing!"

My eyes felt like they were gunna roll out of their sockets as I gaped at the room. I spun happily like a middle school girl in a dress going to the dance, holding my arms out.

"This is better then when I got my own room!"

"I'll tell the maids you liked it." He chortled "This used to be your old room, though I'm not sure it's how it once was."

"I wish I could tell." I murmured, thinking a-loud to myself more then him.

"Well," he spoke after a bit "I'll leave you to yourself. To let you know, we'll be turning our lights out in about an hour from now. I believe your night cloths are in the closet there."

"Thank you Vaen." I told him sincerely, and his teeth seemed to gleam in that smile of his. He nodded, his brown eyes shining.

"Of course Princess. Have a good night. Oh –" as he was closing the door, he peeked over his shoulder, a slyer look on his face "and I hope our rats are as merciful as yours." I grinned, and wished him well too.

When I was alone, I puttered on what to do. It wasn't _quite _time for bed. Eventually, I picked to go out on the deck. The cool night air hit me briskly when I yanked open the doors, but I pushed forward to the end, resting against the stone railing. The view was spectacular; I could see the entire courtyard, though of course everything was dead asleep by now, except for the faint whinnies of the horses. Beyond that were groups of large green trees, but darkened now. The sky was a very dark blue, stars poking out here and there – beautiful actually. Even the scenery around her was wonderful. I stared out hopefully into the night, to what felt like, a stretching period of time.

It had indeed been a long, long day but it really had been what I'd always kind of wanted – sure as hell not what I expected, but somehow what I had been dreaming of. Nothing was fulfilled yet, but this was a whole lot better then I'd ever been. For once there was a gleam of faith. That everything that had stuck with me for so many years was actually in front of me now; no more listlessness, feeling of "what if?" about my life and past. That, in fact, they weren't actually dreams; they were memories. They were real, and they were right here in front of me.

Grinning like a mad man, or perhaps a certain feline, I slipped back into my room to hit the hay – surely after all of this I'd be out like I light. And when I was done, and my head hit the pillow, that was precisely the case.

**Even though I'm probably talking into the void, I feel like I should say that I don't like the way Alice turned out. I didn't think she'd be a hard character to master, but no matter what, it just doesn't sound like her. Of course, she can't be exactly as she used to given she's older and has more responsibility in her role(s) – though I still don't like it :P Blah; pardon this rambling. **


	5. Chapter 4

**Ugh, sorry this is so late. I had to move, amongst other things. And I wanna point out something; the last chapter was supposed to be 3.5, not 35. This site just wants to make me look like I have the education of a kindergartener -.- **

I had awoken with a jolt.

I didn't really know what happened. I was sleeping peacefully. Maybe my conscious thought that if I didn't wake up right now, I really wouldn't be here. I'd be back there with my adopted family, waking up to my alarm and another day of dull lessons and even duller classmates. But when my eyelids flew back and my body lurched up, that (thankfully) wasn't the case. I was here in this ridiculously large, and nicely soft I might add, bed and the morning light was streaming in through the windows of my room.

Well that's a relief. I settled my heartbeat, but it picked right back up again when there was a knock on my door. Oh great; the only people I allow to see me this early and in such a state was my family or Katelynn. But the knock persisted.

"Princess Erika?"

"Uh, I um, yes, I…" the words spilled out of my mouth, and I smacked my forehead at my own stupidity; I quickly cleared my throat "Yes? Uh, you can come in…?"

The door creaked open and a woman stuck her head around. She had brown hair pulled into a bun, and was adorning a nice white blouse with a grey skirt, an apron wrapped around it. She smiled sweetly, her grey eyes caring – she reminded me a bit of Vaen.

"I'm sorry Princess if I drowsed you. I am Martha, the Head Maid here at the castle. I came in to see if you had risen yet, and perhaps you would like some breakfast?"

"It's totally fine, I had been up." I hated how everyone felt like they needed to apologise every time they spoke to me, or thought they were some kind of bother. It was really different then how I was once treated "Um, yes, that would be nice."

"Lovely. Our staff will be in the kitchen to greet you." She grinned some more and was about to leave before I yelped out.

"Wait!" I held out my arms to her and she turned back questioningly "I err…don't know where the kitchen is. I mean, they didn't get to show me yesterday…..I'm sorry." I made an apology for my incompetence, though her smile did return.

"It's quite alright Princess. I will wait outside until you are ready." Then she actually did disappear back into the hall.

I tumbled from my bed – I didn't want to make her wait forever. But when my feet were planted down I realized something: I didn't have any cloths.

Well, any that I knew of. And I'm sure they wouldn't be what I had been used to. I paced, then came to the conclusion they probably had some stored away in the dark, auburn wood closet in the other side. I rushed towards it, flinging open the doors – to which I then smacked myself with my own hand when I released.

God – and they think I'm a Princess? It's like the spirit of Mia came through the movie screen and possessed me.

Sighing, I was even more down spirited when I saw what was hanging in the closet.

Dresses.

Seriously karma?

I begrudgingly chose one from the rack; a v-neckline light, pale brown dress with shoulder straps and a darker brown skinny belt in the middle; it seemed like it would go a bit past my knees as I held it up. I slipped it on and then searched for tights in the shelves on the right to the dresses. I eventually found a black pair and stumbled to get in them in. I wondered what Martha thought of the noise I created as I crashed around the room to get them on.

I then scampered to a little mirror desk beside my bed, hoping for a brush. I yanked open the top drawer and there it was. I grinned triumphantly and pulled it through my wavy blond hair, yanking out some strands. When done, I simply left it there and hurriedly got to the door. I took a step back to collect myself after that whirlwind; I breathed in and out deeply – _relax Erika_ – and attempted for grace as I slowly pulled open the door.

Martha was there like she claimed, lightly leaning against the wall, her hands clasped nicely in front of her. She greeted me with a smile, then said to follow her as she led me to where my breakfast would be waiting.

When we got to the bottom level, I was curious as to what they would serve.

"Anything you prefer Princess?"

"Well, what do you have?"

"Hmm, well there are scones, eggs, perhaps sausage, muffins –"

"Cranberry?!" I asked hopefully.

"Um, I believe so."

"Great, one of those please." She smiled again.

"Lovely. Well if you waited in the dining hall one of our staff members will bring it to you." She stood with her back in front of the double kitchen doors, me facing her.

"Dining hall?"

"Yes."

"Is there anyone there?"

"Not now I believe." She observed. Well that sounds….lonely. I paused.

"Do you mind if I take it elsewhere?"

She looked a little taken back at that, but took back her composure.

"I don't see any objection to that.."

"Fantastic!" With that said, she opened the doors, allowing me to go in first. Just like the bedroom, I was aghast at this room too. It was gaping; the ceiling seemed to go up miles and miles high. It was all white; just that the tile floor which was the same colour had blue tiles as well. A row of stove tops, following up by multiple counter spaces and ovens, was against the left wall and seemed to go on forever. People were slaving over it, chopping and sautéing. Over on the other side from the wall was another white granite counter, kind of like a breakfast nook, with cupboards at the bottom; and the March Hare stood over it. He had a plate of toast by him, and was obsessively stirring his tea with his wide eyes looming over the cup, and little drops fell out as he stirred it a bit too fast.

Martha went over to a large door that was just off from the March Hare, sliding it open to reveal multiple breads and bakery products. She opened up a bag and plucked one muffin from it, finishing up there and going over to the counter the rabbit was at. He gasped, as if surprised by her presence, and grabbed his cup of tea, slurping it as he hid behind the other side. I chuckled as he scowled slightly over the counter top at Martha (you could only see from the bridge of his nose and up) with his ears down, as if she would reach out and snatch his tea. She had opened a cupboard drawer and took a small plate, placing the muffin on it and bringing it to me.

"Here you are Princess." She held it up and for me and I bit my lip. I picked up the muffin, leaving her with the plate.

"Thank you – I really don't need the plate, I'll probably break it." I joked, but felt blush rising to my face – if I was supposed to be a "princess" that was most likely the thing I should _not_ be saying. She blinked in confusion again, staring down at it.

"Well, alright." She concluded.

"Um, thanks again Martha. I'll see you." I chomped onto the muffin with my teeth, leaving it in my mouth and waving as I dashed out of the kitchen. She looked a bit dazed, but just as I was running past the doors I think I saw her grin again.

x.x.x

I found myself wandering outside. I had my sketchbook tucked under my arm (they had brought up my things to my room, but I was too busy last night being fascinated with everything to notice them. I had gone back up to grab my flats and saw them in the corner), and I was heading out for something to do. I had already finished my always favourable cranberry muffin. What do people do around here? I drifted off from the courtyard to the incredibly vast garden. It was a maze of yellow brick pathways, patches of gardens dotted every which way. Eventually I found a bench to sit at, surrounded by vibrant flora. I opened by book and flipped through. Seeing my drawings of everyone here, I started to grin. Though I'd only been here not even 48 hours, I could already see the small mistakes on the sketches; Chess's eyes were too dark, Mally was too tall, and other miniscule things like that. I began to erase and fix what was needed.

"Psst! Hey!"

My head shot up to glance around for the whisperer, but the wide gardens remained empty. Pulling my eyebrows together, I went back to work.

"You girl! Down here!"

Annoyed now, I searched around again and then following the noise, I looked down to see something very surprising; talking flowers. They had faces like humans, with tiny little eyes and mouths, and moved their leaves as if they were hands.

"Are you her?!" The rose asked, squinting at me. The lilies moved in to her, and the daffy gazed at me questioningly. I suddenly felt very on-the-spot.

"Uhhh, am I who?"

"You know!" The rose snapped "The girl everyone's been talking about! The Princess!"

"Oh, um, yes." I stuttered, feeling very stupid to not realize it in the beginning "I am."

"I told you!" The daffy spoke out, twisting her leaves so it looked like she was placing them on her waist – if flowers had them that is.

"She doesn't look like a princess." The lilies replied in unison, making my eyes go a bit wider.

"Well I, I-guess not. I didn't really know –"

"Just look at that dress!" The rose went on, and I felt my cheeks flaming "It looks like a paper bag! If she was a proper Princess, she would've dressed more appropriately!"

"Well I haven't really had time to process the whole –"

"She doesn't look like she used to!" The daffy exclaimed.

"Tell me, girl." I figured out that they wouldn't put up with this "royalty" stuff, calling me "Princess" and all of that "Do you even know how to be a Princess?"

"Well, um, not exactly. I really –"

"I thought so!" The rose concluded, and I felt my cheeks get even redder "Just because she's the daughter of the Queen doesn't mean she can hold up to being Princess!" It squawked on.

"I believe your right Rose!" The daffy said, and the lilied hummed in agreement. I opened my mouth to try and defend myself.

"Look, I'm going to try my best here!" I snapped, actually getting in a full sentence. The rose let out a "humph."

"Well we'll have to see to that when you're sworn in, won't we?" The colour then retreated from my face this time. Sworn into what?

"When I'm what?!" Then they laughed mockingly, and I felt myself getting angrier by the minute.

"Look at that, she doesn't even know half of what happens here!" The daffy said, and they continued to laugh. I sulked and wasn't sure what to do – I was being insulted by _flowers_ of all things.

"OI! You shut it!" A voice peaked out, and I saw Mally scampering towards me, glaring through her black eyes – I think I was even happier to see her now then last night.

"Well look what we have here!" The rose sneered, and Mally jumped up on the bench with me "The Princess's brave savior!" the other flowers began to giggle. Mally pulled out her sword and directed it at them, not faltering.

"Your just jealous 'cause you can't do any of those Princess things! All you get to do is sit in the garden!" Mally retaliated, and they quieted down.

The red flower seemed to glare, if that was possible "I'm just telling the truth. How is she supposed to govern us when she's been away for so long – I mean look at the girl!" I felt ashamed that I had nothing to shoot back.

"Not true! Erika is gunna be the best Princess there is, I know it! You are no better; all you do is gossip and make fun of other people!"

"You take that back!" The lilies chimed, and the rose glared even harder "Don't speak out of your place, you're no bigger than us, rodent."

_Rodent_. I may not have good things to think about myself, but you're crossing a line when you get to my friends. I leaped up, going after a bucket I had seen that was left by one of the gardeners – a bucket full of water. I wasted no time picking it up and lugging it over. I could see the flower's expression turn from spite to fear when I flipped over the bucket on them. The water came pouring out, flowing over them, completely drenching them and turning their dirt to mud.

When the liquid went down, they came out sputtering and gasping, and Mally was overturned on her back, laughing up a storm. I couldn't help but grin myself.

"You brat! Both of you!" screeched the rose.

"Well now you'll think twice before speaking not only to a trained fighter, but your Princess. Have a good day." I smirked, curtseying to them, and ran off, Mally on my trail.

"That was amazing!" Mally exclaimed as soon as we were out of earshot and view. I stopped running, leaning over and putting my hands on my knees, panting.

"I guess so." I wheezed, but my smile didn't disappear.

"You need to work on your comebacks though." She observed, pacing on the yellow bricks of the garden. I put a hand to the back of my head, tracing my fingers through my hair.

"I'm just not very good at it; I guess my confidence isn't at its best." I muttered "I mean, that were kinda right! I don't know how to be a princess. How do they, or even I, know if I'll be good?"

"I do." She said, crossing her arms. I was finding Mally to be rather funny, and not in the humorous way; she had quite a temper, but her loyalty was blind, right down to the bone.

I hopped onto the rim of a round stone centerpiece that enclosed a slew of white roses in it "How are you so sure?"

"Just because I know!" She concluded stubbornly, and I rolled my eyes as I offered her a lift up next to me.

"Well….what about that 'sworn in stuff' they were talking about? What even is that?"

"That means you'd _officially_ be princess. They'd have a ceremony; you'd take an oath, with a crown n' everything. It also means you're fully taking on responsibility of the crown; it means you're willing to be Queen when you know, Alice is done." Mally explained. Geezus, I've only been here one day! I don't even know how to be Princess, let alone Queen!

"Oh." I dwelled on it, but Mally was already moving on.

"Hey, what's that?!" She asked excitedly, and wasted no time running over and pulling the front page of my sketchbook open.

"Oh, it's uh," I tried to pull together a sentence and blushed some more when Mally observed the drawings – it was just a bit personal.

"Hey, you're kinda good." She admitted, flipping through the pages, then found the one of herself.

"Um, yeah. I used to draw them a lot before I came here, what I, loosely, thought you guys looked like."

"It's nice that she gave you a few extra inches, huh Mally?" A voice came out, and we spun around to see no one but Gareth and Toby perched behind us.

"How'd you guys sneak up on us?! We should've heard you!" I grinned.

"Well, not everything is for certain around here, _Princess_." Toby smirked, and I raised my eyebrows at him. Gareth was peering over the drawings too.

"Wow, this is great!" He reached for the book, but Mally glowered and ushered him away with her paws.

"Oi, you'll get your turn!" She snapped.

"Touchy…" Gareth muttered, leaning beside the gray stone, but still managed to get a close look.

"You're really good!" He complimented, and I smiled at him "They are pretty spot on!"

"Is this what you did with your time?" Toby asks me, squinting at the pages.

"Yeah, I mean, a lot of my time was taken up thinking of this place. I could only vaguely remember; I could remember places and outfits, the colours. Faces were always very fuzzy – as it always was with everything it seemed. I could never get past that step…"

"Step of what?" Gareth's tone was quiet.

"Step to fully remembering." I answered, the feeling of how terrible that was washed over me again – the feeling of almost being _haunted_ by these pictures, but never could tell who I was haunted by. My new friends remained silent.

"But," my smile crept back over my morose expression "it doesn't really matter now. I'm here, so now I can finally see it all."

"Must feel very relieving." Gareth offered, smiling in that way, offering comfort.

"It is." I agreed, and as I could feel the heavier atmosphere, I decided the tone needed changing "So, what are you two up to?" I asked briskly of the two knights.

"Gareth and I were practicing our sword fighting skills." Toby informed, lightly grabbing onto the sword handle that was attached to his belt.

"May I see?" I requested of him, staring at the sword.

"The…the fighting technique?"

"No, your sword genius."

"Oh." Toby came over his expression of looking a little lost, going back to this usual brooding, smirking look he always had on "Of course, no need to call names." He took it out, grabbing onto the metal part and directed the handle for me to grab, which I did.

It was a skinner blade then most, and had a silver cross-guard with a detailed design and a shield in the middle. The hilt was black with a silver space in between in (where one would assume you would place your hand), and a silver jutted ball on the end.

"It's really stunning." I admitted to him; to be honest I was rather jealous. I'd always found swords rather cool "Did you make it?"

"Tobias? Pfft, he wouldn't know any more about sword making then a fish would about flying." Gareth scoffed, and when Toby gave him a look, he tried to play it off innocently "Well neither do I!" Toby rolled his eyes then turned to me.

"No, our blacksmith makes all the swords and weapons, including the armour."

"…Do you think he would I could get one of these?" I wondered aloud, jumping off the rim of the grey garden and holding the sword in, what I thought, was a fighting position. I swung it around a bit, beaming.

"I don't believe Morys would be allowed to say no to someone of your status." Gareth shrugged.

"I don't think so either."

"It would do her some good." Mally offered "I mean, to have a weapon to defend herself." She had closed my book and was now watching us discuss.

"Then let us go." I grinned, picking up both my book and Mally. She steadied herself on my shoulder, and off we went to the courtyard. Crossing by the stables, Gareth finally pointed out the workshop, which could be identified by the loud clanging noise coming from inside.

We entered through the forge, coming into a huge enclosed area built by stone brick. A man was standing there in pants and shirt with a huge apron covering him. An oven was built at the very back corner between the back and right wall. A barrel of water stood a bit off to the left of it, and an anvil sitting atop a stone brick was not far either. On the left wall was a large wooden table, and multiple tools hung above it. The man was standing above the iron anvil whacking away at what seemed to be a breastplate for armour. He then picked it up using some kind of professional styled tongs, dumping it into the barrel. Steam filled the room, and he coughed a bit. Seems like grueling work. Toby and Gareth jogged forward when it cleared.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in!" The man spoke, his voice gruff though friendly. He had a stubbly beard and a mop of black hair, though all of it seemed to by smeared by ash "What are you two rascals after?"

"Morys, we have a favor to ask you." Gareth started. The older man then brought the piece of armour over to his table, not taking his eyes off his work.

"You'd better have not dented your helmet again Gareth." He grumbled, and maybe it was the heat, but Gareth's cheeks flamed up. Mally and I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"N-No. Our friend here would like to have a sword of their own." He put his smile on again like he always does, then ushered my forward; I stepped in between them.

"Who could it possibly be –"He glanced up and when he spotted me, his sarcastic demeanor dropped and his face transformed into shock "My word, Princess Erika. I apologise, I didn't see you right away."

"That's alright, no need for apologies." I offered, still not used to being regarded in this way. He turned himself to face us.

"I would like to take your hand, but I don't believe you want to get anywhere near these." He held up his hands, which were covered by what I think, used to be brown gloves but where now an ugly black colour almost up to the wrist. I smiled warmly at him.

"Well, I'm sure you can make it up to me by making that sword, huh?" I joked, and he chuckled at me.

"Surely Princess. Are these jokesters gunna teach you how to use it?" I quirked my eyebrows at him. That actually wasn't a terrible idea. I hadn't thought about training, I was more or less just wanted a sword of my own. There was a stilling silence in the air, and Gareth and Toby shuffled around.

"I think it's a great suggestion." I added, and Toby sighed deeply.

"Alright, I'll do it." He mumbled, looking like the task was such a pain to him, but the glint in his eyes gave away that it wasn't.

"Thanks Toby, I really appreciate the effort you're going to." I snipped sarcastically, folding my arms and smirking at him.

"Of course, who better to teach the powerful and regal Erika?" His mouth formed in the same way as mine, but it suited him better, I think.

Morys coughed behind us, and I peered over my shoulder to see him giving us a suggestive look. Like Gareth, my cheeks too, went red.

"So, I can have the sword to you by tomorrow Princess. How would you prefer it?" He kept smiling at us like that, his arms folded. I hoped my cheeks would return to normal colour and I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, not looking him in the eye.

"Uhh, I don't know anything about swords really." I began "I trust your knowledge, just get creative I guess." I chuckled and he did the same. "And by tomorrow? Wow, you work quickly."

"Well, there's a reason why he's the _royal_ blacksmith."

"Don't suck up to me Selwyn."

x.x.x

We had come back from Morys's shop, but not a minute later, Toby and Gareth were called for practice. I was left with Mally, and she said she had a previous engagement, and I should come along. I follow her in and out of halls, finally nearing the place we had dinner. She scampers right in, but I stop to peer in a bit. In it was the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, and they were sat around a table with a gracious spread of food; multiple pastries and baked goods, like scones, muffins and others. Some tarts, and I think a pie on the very end. They had fine china, including a tea pot sat in the middle. They had a bowl of sugar cubes, and a little pouring cup of crème. They had spreads such as jams, marmalade, butter, etc. They were talking together until they steered themselves over to us, entering the room.

Mally looked over from her shoulder, and ushered me forward. I took a step into the doorway, kind of unsure if I was intruding on their little party.

"Erika! How lovely of you to join us! Do sit!" Hatter grinned at me, and as I made my way forward, he was already pouring tea into a cup that was set in the place next to him (he was at the head of the table, so I was on his right). I offered my thanks, taking the cup. Mally sat a few seats away, and by that I mean she was standing on the table, and the March Hare was even further down.

"What are you all up to?" I asked.

"Tea!" The rabbit shouts, making me jump in my chair. He holds up his cup as he yells, but the movement causes the hot liquid to slosh out of the cup and onto the table. Mally laughs at him as he stares sadly at the tea splotch stained on the table cloth.

"We have tea every day." Mally says through her chortles "We had it a lot before we moved to the castle."

"We used to have tea all the time you know." Hatter says, breaking apart his muffin "But you were much smaller then."

I stop for a second, jogging back the far reaches of my memory. Amazingly, despite the fact that everyone forgets their dreams as soon as they wake up, I always remember mine. I guess that's cause they weren't really dreams; they're memories, but coming in the form of dreams. In my search, I do come across one I had a few weeks ago where I was sitting at a table with friends, and a small mouse threw a scone at my head, and then I drank so much tea for my tiny person stomach to handle that I got sick.

"I do recall it; I believe I got sick once." I sip from my cup, breathing in the herbal scent of the tea. Hatter teeters with laughter, bouncing his fingers off his cup.

"I'm glad that you do. Well, not that you got sick of course, I wouldn't want you to be sick. No one wants to be sick, that's a terrible cause. Tea is lovely, but you can get sick. I never have but then again.."

He keeps going, trailing off, and I'm not sure what to do. I stop paying attention for a second, sparing my glance to my friends. Mally stands up sharply then, glaring at him.

"Hatter!"

"–just glad you do recall….I'm fine." He wheezes out the end, sipping his tea. Mally sighs, skittering around.

"We don't have to talk about that! Let's focus on right now." She says shortly, dismissing the subject. That was how she usually acts when I bring up the past memories and the gap of time spent without me; she doesn't seem to want to dwell on the fact that I wasn't at her side. Guess she really did miss me.

From out the window, I can see the sun about to set. I don't have a watch with me, but that's a sign that it's getting late in the afternoon. Almost dinner time shortly.

"Do you always have tea this late?"

"Late?" Hatter repeats, then pulls out a pocket watch from his pocket. He squints at it, then holds it to his ear, listing to the tick – or lack-there-of.

"What is it?" I whisper to him, and his eyes flicker to me, and he grins while pressing a finger to his lips.

"I'm seeing if it's late." He whispers back, then finally moves it away from his ear. I take it out of his hand to see for myself. The handles, even the one that counts the seconds, aren't moving.

"Well it isn't working, that's your problem." I told him kindly "Mally do you have any idea what time it is?"

Before she can even respond to my question, the Hatter snatches the watch from my hands.

"It's time for tea, that's what it is!" He exclaims, slipping the watch back where it came from. I couldn't help but smile at him. This is a lot more fun then lunch-time chat that would've had to endure at the Ascot's.

For the next twenty minutes or so, we sit around and chat, having a grand time. The second I'm done my cup, Hatter fills it up. I fill my stomach with more cranberry muffins, and buttered scones. They have a very interesting way of "table manners." The March Hare, who I learned is actually named Thackery, likes to throw things. Literally; I said I was thinking about having another scone and he threw one at me. I missed of course, ducking out of its way, not really accustomed to this. But I guess I should've figured that out when last dinner he threw the mashes potatoes.

The Hatter liked to talk about many things, and Mally too; Thackery liked to sit on his own I think, sometimes interjecting with random comments. I learned Hatter can flip on a dime however; the minute anything he doesn't like is mentioned, he turns very quiet, and if I'm not mistaken, a Scottish accent crawls out of him – a weird symptom that is. When Mally mentioned that my mother liked to sit with them during these get-togethers, but doesn't have much time for it anymore, Hatter said he didn't want to talk about that; and when I gave him a second look, I saw his green eyes had turned orange. But when I mentioned how much I was enjoying myself, he perked right up.

"You'll have to come every time then!" He chimes, stirring his beverage.

"I will." I promised, grinning. Like I've mentioned; I hate social convention and getting together to do boring things like talking about the weather. But I love this – _this _is fun. The people are far more interesting, and things are kept lively by the weird way we exchanged food to one another. It's become easy. I don't have to constantly worry about saying something "socially inappropriate" or whatever; these guys are so off not much could faze them. I can finally breathe, and I feel I fit in a lot easier then I used to do with this stuff. And when I told them exactly what I told my family on high heels and possible social exchange of squirrel appetizers, they agree.

"I don't believe squirrels would be very good though." Hatter says.

"You think?!" Mally squeaks, paws on her tiny hip. I laugh at this because both squirrels and mice run in the rodent family – so of course she wouldn't think so. It was a ball, and I couldn't help but think Katelynn would enjoy herself too.

There's a knock on the door then, and one of our many maids is there. She smiles politely, stepping in a bit.

"I'm sorry everyone, but we have to dress the table for dinner now."

"What does the table need a dress for?" Hatter questions, making me press a hand over my mouth to hold in the laughter. But he gets up straight away, Mally and me following. We try to help clear everything, but the staff tells us no. Hatter then offers me to go back with him for a chat, but I decline – nicely. I tell him I'm off to my own quarters, but I will defiantly be here next time.

For once, I'm shown it's ok to be a little odd – crazy, even. Mad. And no way I'm tossing that opportunity away ever.

x.x.x

By the time dinner is actually called, I'm already at my room, which means I have to walk _all _the way back. Groaning, I turn myself around. Everyone's dashing through the halls to get to the food, and as I'm veering myself through the traffic, I can see Bayard and the pups. There's about five of them, very excited and jumping all over everything. And their father doesn't have very good control.

"Stop that! Stop jumping! Daisy, stop clawing – no Bernard, don't eat that!"

I giggle at them; they're all quite adorable. Bayard sits in a moment of defeat, sighing. I stand by him, watching his kin.

"At least they're cute."

He whips his head up to me, his ears flapping over his head.

"Oh, good evening Princess." His voice is gruff, and tinted with a bit of surprise. Once he gets my meaning, he sighs again.

"The wife can only control em'"

I stifle a bit of my laughter "You'll get the hang of it."

Just then, Thackery hops by us and as they see him springing by, the puppies take it as an invitation to play a bit of tag. They race after him, playfully jumping onto him and tugging at his waistcoat. Thackery doesn't really see this however, and starts thrashing around and yelping out.

"No, pups stop that right now!" Bayard rushes forward, and I follow suit. He yells at them to get off, and as they slowly start to slink away, I reach down and grab Thackery by his arms to get him out of that mess.

"Ah, thank ya' lass!" He compliments when I set him down, and I reply with a "no problem."

And no second later, the pups are at it again, attacking the feet of a waiter who's carrying a roast. Thackery turns to them, narrowing his large brown eyes. He tumbled forward, awkward, but then races to the small dogs, yelling "Come back 'ere you scoundrels!"

The puppies run away in excitement, Thackery after then, and soon Bayard is on his feet (paws?).

"No! That food isn't for you! Wait for your father!" Bayard dashes after them and I'm forced to roll my eyes and laugh at the entire scene. Note: talk to my mother about getting those puppies a trainer.

We all gather around the dinner table like yesterday, and I'm asked how my first day was. Before I can get in a single word, Mally starts grandly telling the story of how snobby the flowers were being and how I threw water all over them. I keep my head ducked down, though no one seems angry.

"That's one way to make an impression…" Alice says, giving me a certain look. I blush deeper, but Mally huffs and folds her little arms.

"Well don't pretend you didn't want to do the same! Or should I talk about how –"

She drops her cutlery, snapping a finger at Mally with wide, threatening eyes.

"Don't you dare, or I can have that tail of yours gone."

"That's abuse of power!"

"I don't have to be Queen to chop off your tail Mally."

I'm grinning at their exchange, and while this was entertaining, I figured it should end before someone starts throwing their fork.

"Speaking of chopping off things," I began "Toby is going to teach me how to sword fight."

"Toby?"

"Tobias." Alice nods, and Mally grins excitedly.

"Yeah, Morys is gunna make her a sword."

"Yep; then I can win over you too!"

She drops her grin, and re-folds her arms in defiance. My mother slips a hand over her mouth to hold in the laughter.

Through the chatter, another lady in an apron and blouse sneaks past the doorway and up to my mother. She didn't look much older than me.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry to interrupt."

Alice puts down her forkful of steamed carrots and looks up at her, seemingly not bothered at all.

"It's fine, is everything alright?"

"Oh, of course. Commander Tomric just wanted me to tell you that he's gathered all of the knights for your meeting tonight."

Alice nods back, happy with the news.

"Lovely. But tell Tomric that next time he can come and tell me himself, not send someone else to do it." A smirk pulled at the ends of her mouth, making me grin, and over next to me Mally grumbled something in agreement.

The young girl's eyes draw wider, surprised "Oh, absolutely."

She then lowered herself down for a bow, but my mother's hands stuck out to stop her, and she shook her head.

"That-that isn't necessary Molly. Really."

The girl blushed like she was embarrassed "Oh, of course. Have a good evening." She then slunk back out the door, and I heard my mother sigh and stab another piece of carrot with her fork.

"How'd you know her name?" I asked.

"She's one of our newest staff members, so I've gotten introduced. I like to meet the people who'll be working here."

"Well, that would explain the bowing." Hatter spoke up, grabbing a scone. Alice rolled her eyes a bit defeatedly.

"Yeah, what's up with that?" I hadn't seen anyone else do that.

"Under rule, the staff is 'suppose' to bow when greeting and leaving the Queen or King," she stirred food around her plate "but I've managed to condition them all not too. It's a stupid custom."

"…You can do that? I mean, yeah you're in charge but can you change the unwritten rules?"

"Not that it would stop your mother." Hatter responds, and the two of them shared a look, smiling in between bites.

"I would get rid of the Your Highnesses and others if I could, but I can only get away with so much." She sipped on her water "And I'm not so fond of the hand kissing greetings either."

I snorted in laughter "I can imagine."

"I've always hated rules and regulations, and being Queen has tons of those." She seems to sit on it for a second, but her smile returns "but the good outweighs the bad."

"That's good, because I don't think now would be ideal to have a career change." She stops what she's doing, slowly folding her arms and leaning back in her chair, watching me.

"…You're a bit more sarcastic then I remember." She eyes me carefully, but the smirk on her face proved I was in no real trouble. I just threw up my hands, grinning by best goofy smile

"What can you do?" I said carelessly.

"Oh, we have our ways.." Alice says nonchalantly, narrowing her eyes and smirking further. I dropped my smile. If it wasn't for Mally's obnoxious laughter, I wouldn't have thought she was kidding.

I follow the mass out when we're done eating. Everyone parts, and I try to find my way until I spot two little bald heads wobbling their way out of the doorway in a rush.

Inquisitive, I silently follow them along the hall and up a few flights of stairs. They had their arms cupped together in front of them, carrying something, and they don't seem to notice me at all. Grinning I lean over them to peak.

"Where you headed boys?" They gasp and spin around to me.

"Princess!" They shout in unison, and they nearly drop their cargo. They had cookies gathered in their shirts as they hold it up by the end of the fabric.

"We wasn't stealing, honest we weren't!" One of them cries; Tweedledum I think. But again, there's no way to tell.

"We just wanted a bit more!" said the other. I chuckled at them.

"It's alright boys! No harm done. But," I grin and stroke my chin deviously, and they flashed a look of worry between them.

"You have to spare one of your cookies with me."

They turn their worry into surprise, and then smile.

"Surely!"

"Of course!"

Tweedledee this time I think, takes one from his pile and puts it in my hand. They grin at me as I take it with an appreciative nod.

"Last time we took tarts 'stead –"

"–but they went all over our shirts." I giggled with them as we carry on down the hall.

"Well, I think cookies are much better." I tell them

"Less messy they are, I say."

"But much tastier, I says."

The squabble over cookies vs. tarts so much that they didn't even see me stop walking. They continue on their way downstairs to get where they're going. I roll my eyes as their argument got quieter – they were cute, in a strange way.

I have another level until I can reach my bedroom. I nibble on the cookie as I climb up the staircase, and when I arrive up top, I realize I'm not the only person. Way down, I can see my mother opening the door to Hatter's hat room. It's almost time for lights out, so I'm wondering what they were concocting as of now. I finish my cookie, and, soundlessly as humanly possible, I hurriedly tip-toe over there. I press my ear to the door just as it barely closes from my mother's entrance.

"Alice! A lovely surprise!"

"We just saw each other for dinner Hatter." Her voice is playfully, and I can spot footsteps; she must be walking over.

"Yes, but I hardly ever see you. You've always got someone on your trail, hmm?"

A sigh "I know. But I've thrown Nivens in the stockade, so we're fine for right now."

She says it so convincingly that all there is is silence.

"…I'm joking Hatter!"

"Oh! Ah, very clever!"

They're both laughing now, relaxed. Then silence, and all I could hear was the shuffling of feet.

"So, what brings you here for a visit?" He asks

"Do I have to have a reason?"

"Never my dear."

The door, to the misfortune of them, has fallen upon due to not being closed properly. I scooted back, thinking I might be seen, but I remain unnoticed, thankfully. Inside, Hatter is over a large wood desk, some unfinished hats decorating it. Alice is beside him, and when he finishes his sentence, she exhales slowly and puts her head on his shoulder.

It's not a mark of anything, but I can't help but quirk my head. It wasn't a direct sign of romance or anything – though that was hidden in the gesture, no doubt – but more of a sign of relaying on a friend; the kind of closeness you would share.

After starring fondly at my mother on his shoulder for a moment, Hatter says "I just thought you would be fairly busy, especially with this new surprise.."

She loses the small smile on her face and remains quiet, starring off somewhere. Hatter loses his happy disposition too.

"…What do you plan to do?"

She brings herself back up, straitening her back. Her voice is small.

"I'm completely unsure. For now, I've called a meeting with the knights just too be even more careful. But that's all – it's just happened so quickly."

"You don't plan to repeat –"

They're so in sync with one another that she catches on right away, her eyes gaping and expression breeding shock.

"No! Of course not!" She waits a while, drawing an imaginary picture with her finger on Hatter's desk absentmindedly. I bite into my lip, trying to come up with conclusions as to what they were talking about.

"We can't do it again. It obviously didn't work the first time. Also, I don't think…" she heaved in again "I don't think I can put everyone through it again. After what happened now, they all looked so happy; Mally, Chess, even you I think." Slowly, she goes over and sits in one of his cushioned chairs, putting her hands over her face in anguish; Hatter watches her forlornly.

"It was hard on so many of us…."

He walks to her, then gently pries her fingers off of her eyes and hold onto her hand briefly, smiling sadly, before letting go. My heart withered a bit at seeing it; Hatter was like a small child who didn't want his friend to be sad but didn't know what to do about it. My mother's vision strays to him eventually, and she brushes her fingers of her other hand through her hair.

"Nor is it fair to do it to her again; to tear her away once more."

Ok, so now I have a gender; but it was still totally unclear who they were discussing. Repeat what? And why was everybody so upset?

"I believe you are right." He whispers, and eventually a small smile comes back "You will think of something. Things aren't as so bad as they once were."

She smiles tightly for second, just gazing down at her clasped hands. Hatter watches, unsettled, until finally he jumps a bit in surprise, a little gasp leaving his mouth. He whirls around and goes over to the other side of the room; Alice's gaze follows him, and this time, an actual smile slowly crawls onto her face. He picks up a fully finished hat from the hat stand, a blue and black lace one.

"For now then," he walks over with it, meeting her gaze with hope "perhaps you'd like to be my model? These hats have no heads to rest on, you see."

Alice smiles broadly, her teeth grazing her bottom lip to stop the laughter from exiting. She gets up, taking the hat and placing it on her head, then spinning around, her dress swirling around her legs.

"I'd be honored." She tells him, giggling a bit, her once remorse position gone. Hatter grins profusely, taking her wrist and walking her over to his hat collection, talking about the many new ones he's made.

I can't help but also smile at them. They were adorable; though not in the way the Tweedles are or Bayard's pups are.

"If I didn't know any better –"

Damn.

"–I'd say you were spying."

Cheshire takes great glee at finding me huddled on the ground, almost sticking my head right in the doorway.

"Well, you're no better!" I try to defend myself, for he obviously was spying on me to begin with, but Chess is un-phaseable. Instead he floats over to sit atop my head, watching. His claws dig into my hair, and his tail annoyingly dangles in my face. We look on to see Alice and Hatter, the orange haired man trying to reach a hat one at the very top of the stand, and my mother pulls at his sleeve so he doesn't topple over.

"I…I was just curious as to what they were talking about."

"Curiosity killed the cat you know." He purrs. I squint my vision, trying to pull my eyes up to look at him.

"You're one to be talking."

His laughter rumbles in his chest, but he continues to watch the two adults. He contemplates for a while, flicking his tail.

"Your mother and Hatter have always had a strange relationship, even when she was very young."

"….Is that good or bad?"

"I think you can see for yourself." He rolls off of me, and starts to trail down the hall. Given there wasn't anything to listen in on anymore, I back him up, and we head in the direction of my room. I pull myself up the last step from the stairwell that leads to the bedrooms, and he wisps away and comes back to hover over my face.

"So, have you seen the great wonders of Underland? Has it lived up to your expectations, _Princess_?" He grins with a trace of smugness, and I roll my eyes along with him. But in fact, even though my day has felt busy, I've barely done anything just yet – and even so, it's done more than just live up to expectations.

I think about Mally, Hatter, my mother, Nivens, Chess, who I've only dreamed about; and that now they're right before me. In only twenty-four hours, I've gotten to talk and chat with them, and even though I couldn't remember their mannerisms beforehand, I still get the feeling of nostalgia, and well, _home_.

Since I've established that they aren't just memories anymore, now we can talk and finally just be together – I don't have to live through them (barely) when I go to sleep. I get to be with them again, and talk all about the past times. I even get to hang out with new faces, such as Toby and Gareth. I get to explore everything there is here and see it from vision rather then memory. There's so much more ahead in this wonderful place I get to know.

And I'm extremely excited about it.

My grin almost matches Chess's, and I turn to him. Now he's just a floating head, looming over me.

"It's gone up and beyond any expectations – and really, I've barely skimmed over the surface."

"Excellent." His eyes are gleaming, and soon he fades away, then comes back in front of my bedroom doors, sitting on the ground for once.

"I'd hate to be the last one to introduce you to the oh-so-magnificent wonders Underland has to offer."

He slides over as I pull open my doors. I step inside, leaning over a bit as he's floating before me once more. I'm filled with a sense of hope, belonging, and god forbid, actual enthusiasm for the unknowing time I'll get to spend here. I raise an eyebrow to him, smirking, bursting with anticipation.

"Oh contraire dear Cheshire; this is just the beginning."

**Also, I'm seeing the URL's to pictures I've been giving out have been eaten by the site, therefore I'm putting them on my profile instead. So if I'm trying to describe something and you're like "what in god's name is that?!" then it might be up there. Right now, I can only get one, but hopefully the other will come later (seriously, they have to make everything so **_**difficult **_**on this site!)**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here's chapter five, which is, I think, the shortest chapter in this entire story. Also, I'll be adding a picture of the sword on my profile which will, hopefully, show up on time. **

I managed to get up on my own this morning. After taking breakfast from under the kitchen staff's noses, I eagerly bounded into Morys's workshop. He was standing over the fire, shuffling around coals with an iron rod.

"Morys!" I yelled out, rushing straight to him – but when I felt the heat of the fire, I skidded to a halt. I covered my mouth with my arm, trying not to cough. Morys leaned the rod against the wall when he was done and took his attention to me. A gruff smile appeared on his face.

"I figure your here for the sword?"

"Yes, but it's nice to see you too!" I smiled cheekily, and he chuckled, then walked me over to his table.

"I just finished her this morning." I spotted a dark cloth draped over an object on the table, but Morys quickly snatched it off, revealing what was underneath.

It was magnificent; even better then Toby's. The blade was a bit of a darker colour if you can imagine; it looked like a silver grey colour, and it wasn't as skinny as Toby's. The cross guard was gold with a design at the pointed ends – but like my friends, there was a shield in the middle, black and grey pattern. The handle was black and gold striped, but the pendant at the end of it was the best part. It looked like a flattened ball, and it had a round black jewel in the middle, and in a black circle surrounding the jewel it wrote "powerful" at the top and "regal" at the bottom in gold print. The rest of the pendent was a gold colour as well.

"Morys..I" I searched my entire vocabulary, but could find nothing in trying to tell him how amazing this was. He reached for it, placing the handle into my hands. I gripped onto it tightly, keeping the blade close. A grin spread over me and I felt instantly more powerful; felt like I could take on entire race, if I was honest.

"I take it it's to your liking." He offered, his grey eyes gleaming.

"It's fantastic. You guys really deliver around here!" I answered, swinging it a little.

"Wait, there's something more," He leaned over to the far end of the table and picked up something else, it flashing in the sunlight "It's called a scabbard, it's just to protect the sword from possible damage when not in battle, and to make it easier to carry."

It basically looked like a sword, except without any handle. It was the same colour as my own, with a gold design at the open and pointed ends. I slid the sword in, and Morys showed me where I could attack it to a belt for easier transport.

"Thank you Morys, to endless amounts." I grinned, trying to describe my thanks. He smiled back humbly, seemingly proud of what he has created; both for the fact that he made it, and for me too I think.

"No trouble at all Princess; just make sure that Tobias teaches you well enough." His tone was a bit gruffer now, and I think he was trying to not get too emotional. I giggled.

"Don't worry, I'll be on it." I told him, then tuned to hurry back out, but not before glancing over my shoulder "Oh, and you can call me Erika; Princess is getting too formal." Then I rushed out, waving, and I could just see him grinning, shaking his head a bit as he returned back to work.

x.x.x

Toby was there as he promised, standing around, swinging his sword, looking bored. I puffed my way up to the courtyard, reaching the top as he spotted me.

"Let's see your new treasure." He joked, and I forgot all about my loss of breath and terrible need to probably get in shape, and held it up. His eyebrows rose, eyes observing as he ran his hand over it.

"Beautiful isn't it?" I couldn't wipe the happiness over my new toy off of my face.

"Impressive. Morys must've taken a liking to you; he never engraved any of ours."

"'Cause I'm the Princess, and you're not." I told him smugly, sticking my tongue out. He didn't look offended which is what I expected; instead he stuck his face right up to me. His eyes bore into mine, and I immediately lost my grin, eyes drawing wider. His lips were inches away, and I could hear him gently breathing.

"Be careful _Princess_, or I'll bite that tongue right off..." I couldn't come up with a comeback, but I just continued to stare right back into his icy blue orbs. I felt stuck.

"Now, let's get started shall we?" His smirk grew wider, and he slowly leaned back from me, walking to his side of the court. My breath exited my mouth all at once – I hadn't even realized I was holding it in.

"Erika, I haven't got all day you know!" He yelled impatiently, but I think he was enjoying my inability to get myself together, which I hated him for.

_Geez, pull yourself together Erika. He's not that mesmerizing._

My heart rate told me otherwise.

"Don't get your panties twisted, I'm coming!" I yelled back, trying to not look incompetent. I stood directly across from him, holding my sword, awaiting instruction.

"Alright; the first thing you need to learn is how to hold a sword properly. If you don't, your opponent can knock it out of your grip right away." He moved to stand beside me, directing what to do "Put your dominant hand at the top of your handle, just under the cross-guard. Then put the other under it." I copied what he said.

"Now, on the less dominant hand, your pinky, middle and ring finger should be gripping tightly, more so then the rest. Got it? Ok." He then reached out and grabbed the blade, moving it.

"Keep it so that the pommel –"

"Pommel?" I asked – my sword knowledge was extremely limited. He tapped the pendent on the end of my sword.

"Here. Keep it so that it's right above your bellybutton; don't keep it too close though. Now point the tip somewhere between the sternum and throat."

"Why so specific?" I brought the sword closer to me, and Toby adjusted it to the exact measures that it should be.

"It's so they run into the weapon instead of you."

He went onto stances and where to put my feet (left foot behind right foot, and don't I dare lose my balance), until I finally bugged him enough to teach me how to _actually_ start fighting.

"Alright fine!" He snapped, mumbling something about "why do I bother?" He was a very solemn teacher. I found when he was trying to teach, he lost his smirk and sarcastic demeanor, becoming serious for once.

"Now, when you're striking, stab at the sky, and your left hand should go past your eye." He placed his hands over my arms, his cold fingers causing me to jump a little. He brought them up, making my sword almost go over my head, so I could barely see it anymore "When coming back down, use your dominant hand to guide the blade, and the other to set force to it." I quickly went over the instruction in my head, and brought down my sword in one direct motion.

"Fair. A little clumsy, but here's a tip."

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching me everything regardless?" I joked, giving him a certain look. His smirk returned.

"Well I'm teaching you it anyway." He brought his own sword out now, still beside me "When striking, you push with your left foot, sliding the other on the ground and raise your sword." He demonstrated, his sword slicing the air quite nicely "Try again."

I performed a second time, keeping in mind the other stuff he told me earlier, striking down. He grinned again.

"Better. Remember to keep your right arm straight, and bend when it reaches your head."

We continued to practice that for a good time, Toby drilling it into me. When he finally called it quits, my hands were sore, shoulders throbbing and I desperately wanted to have a bucket of cold water thrown on me. I think Toby could tell I was out of it. I sat on the grey slab that was the court, wheezing like an old dog. He came up to me.

"Hard work isn't it?"

"Yeah, you must be" _wheeze_ "really" _wheeze_ "dedicated." I almost fell onto my back, but was too stubborn to. I had a feeling Toby would make a remark at my expense, and I didn't want to give him any more reason. But instead he just smiled kindly.

"Want some help?" He then struck out his hand for me to get me on my feet. I stared back up at him – where was the joke? He quirked his head "What? You don't think I'm capable of being nice?"

"Maybe." I put both hands in his, feeling a surge of warmth come between us. He pulled me up, but when I was all up and steady, he wouldn't let go. Or I wouldn't. I dunno – we just continued to stare at each other, simply holding hands in the court. I really didn't want to let go – and he was smiling, tilting his head in a way as if thinking about me. And as I realized this, a grin graced my face.

"Toby, I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm standing up now..." I whispered to him slyly, and he didn't process it for a while, just staring at me in this loving fashion, until his eyes snapped awake once the words sunk in, and he dropped my hands as if they were on fire.

"Um, yes, good." He mumbled, and I pressed my lips together – I desperately wanted to stand there snidely, but I figured he had enough "Let's go. The sun's going down. It'll be dinner soon."

That it had – the sky was about to turn a dark orange colour, the sun sinking into the ground at the horizon. I followed Toby down to the main courtyard. I glanced at him, thinking of how great a thing he did today, teaching me. My mind buzzed.

"You know, it _was_ actually very nice of you to teach me." I told him honestly. He kept his hands to his sides, eyeing the cobblestone ground instead of looking my way.

"It was really nothing Erika. Just a small favour." was all he said.

"Come on. It's a big deal to me, offering up your time to teach me. You're a really sweet guy Toby." I admitted, smiling shyly. But all he could do was offer one weakly back.

"I'm really not." He replied, still refusing to look up. His eyes were more sullen; I wasn't sure how else to convince him.

"Sure you are." I bumped into his shoulder playfully. All he did was stumble.

"No, Erika." He grumbled. However I could be rather stubborn, and I was determined to "turn that frown upside down."

"Yes you are." I nudged his shoulder with mine again.

"Erika knock it off!" He hissed, finally glancing at me – well, more like glaring. But my grin grew just like Chess's.

"Then say it. Say yes." I grinned, nudging.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Erika sto–"

"Say it!"

"I will not!"

"Yes you will!

"Erika you're ridiculous!"

"Say yes!"

"Fine yes!" He shouted, the words bouncing all over the courtyard. But I had done my job; he was grinning from ear to ear, laughing as I was. I knocked into him one more time, and he snatched my arms from behind me, making me squeal.

"Say you're sorry!" He yelled, but his tone was playful.

"Never!" I shouted back, just as dramatically. We continued to make a ruckus, never seeing the observers passing by, or Mally who had scampered over, a few feet from us.

"Hey lovebirds! You two!"

We shouldn't have turned out heads to the call, but we did. Mally was standing there with her arms crossed, foot pounding the ground impatiently and an eyebrow arched. Toby released me, keeping his smirk on, while all that I could do was blush.

"Dinner's ready, in case you were wondering." She snipped. I cleared my throat – and then Toby stabbed his finger into my waist, and my teeth dug into my bottom lip to restrain from giggling.

"Thank you Mally." I said politely, trying to keep the frilly happiness from my voice. Toby stepped around me, and began taking a few steps away from us, backwards.

"I'll have to go see what's on the dinner table for us tonight. I'll see you, ladies." He brimmed his smirk, and waved his hand, before rushing away. I waved back avidly – until, just in the nick of time, an idea sprung.

"Wait, no, wait up–" I followed him, and he stopped in his tracks, confused.

"What?"

I puffed out some air from running the distance, and looked him in the eyes "I want to seriously thank you for what you did. So, how about something in return?"

"I don't want something in return!" He stressed, throwing up his hands, but I grabbed them and put them by his sides.

"How about I teach you to play music?"

"You have an instrument?" He crossed his arms, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, I, uh, brought one on my trip." I grinned "Come on, let me teach you!" I was begging now; I didn't know why I was so persistent, but I felt like I had to return the favor – my "parents" did raise me right. He rolled his eyes, smirking and shaking his head.

"Alright fine, just because you're so excited about the motion." He shrugged, and I pumped my fist in the air.

"Yes! Ok, great. Tomorrow, after dinner." He nodded, then started walking away.

"You won't regret it!" I yelled after cupping my hands around my mouth.

"We'll see!" He called back with a joking manner, not turning around. Now I had to roll my own eyes. Mally started to squabble again, and it was too loud to ignore this time, so I quickly went over to her and we entered back into the castle.

"Well, did you learn anything today?" She asked me, not bothering to keep the "sarcasticness" from her tone, probably believing were up to no good the entire afternoon.

"I learned a lot today actually, thank you for asking." I replied, keeping my voice the same. She shook her head at me – _silly girl_,she was most likely thinking.

But it didn't really matter anyway.


End file.
